A Slayer's Embrace
by 6Dylan9
Summary: Sometimes a slayer seeks comfort in battle, but sometimes that just isn't enough. Season 8. Buffy/Satsu/Faith.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary:** Sometimes a slayer seeks comfort in battle, but sometimes that just isn't enough. Planned two-parter. Buffy/Satsu/Faith.

**Timeline:** Season 8, after the Faith arc, and after Buffy sleeps with Satsu.

**Femslash. **Chapter Two will undergo some editing to fit the rating here. Unedited versions of my stories are - as always - at my website.

Chapter One

A red glow hugged the landscape as sounds of grunting, clinking blades and cries of terror pierced the usually serene hills of a Scottish hideaway. The night was unusually warm - sticky and oppressive - making movement more difficult as the heat made heavy limbs heavier.

"To your left," somebody shouted over the heads of fighting slayers as they clashed with the advancing army.

Buffy twirled round to look to her left and spotted another hoard of angry demons hastening towards them. They were quickly becoming overwhelmed and she wondered if a retreat would be in order. There were many slayers on their side, but the demons were big, and tough to take down.

"Satsu, hold the left with your crew, we need to start getting control back," Buffy yelled, pointing to Satsu and indicating where she needed her to be.

They'd known it was going to be hard to stop this new threat, but they had no choice but to try. The army of demons were descending on them through a portal Willow was doing her best to close. A prophecy had given them the warning about it – a long rambling text that basically foretold of yet another attempted apocalypse that would land on Buffy's doorstep. Buffy wasn't about to let it come true, and she had plenty of slayers slicing their way through hard demon skin - they just needed to get their focus back.

"Willow, I need to know when you can close that damn thing," Buffy shouted up to Willow who was hovering above the throng of slayers fighting under the shadow of their castle retreat.

"It's tricky, but I think I'm almost there," Willow responded, her eyes glowing white as her hand crackled with electric blue sparks shooting out towards the big black portal ahead of them all.

"I think that portal leads to the nearest sewer system. . .these guys stink worse than Xander's socks," Satsu bellowed as her team struggled to hold back another wave of grunting demons.

"Hey, no need to get personal," Xander griped over the headset. "Some of us have problems that don't need to be talked about amongst a bunch of impressionable slayers."

"Like the little problem you have with Mr Winky when you get nervous?" Faith added with a sly grin as she dropped down beside Buffy after hurling herself over the back of the demon she'd just killed.

They all heard the stuttering mumble that came over the headsets as Xander tried to deny Faith knew anything about his Mr anything. . .but the slayers were too busy laughing to make out what he said.

Buffy handed the scythe to Faith so she could grab hold of a thick, scaly neck; twisting hard until she heard a crack. The advance was slowing, demons dropping left and right as each slayer found her groove and made her mark against evil. All they had to do was keep them contained.

"Their necks are weak," Buffy shouted. "Go for the neck."

Leaving Faith to use the scythe for a while, Buffy pulled a sturdy sword from the sheath on her back, slashing out with it and feeling satisfying tingles rushing through her as sticky demon blood spilled at her feet.

She'd missed this. Missed the battles, the heat and the blood. It'd been months since the last big threat and dusting random vampires just didn't cut it anymore. They were a slayer-army and they needed an army of opponents to stretch them and test them, to charge them up and give them life. Being a slayer wasn't about wanting the evil to end, it was about wanting the evil to keep coming. . .to quench the thirst for victory and death. Buffy had long since realized that ignoring the basic need of the slayer within her was a mistake; it needed its freedom, and it needed the fighting and the rush, and all that came with it.

There was no ignoring who she was anymore. There was only doing what she'd been born to do, and she truly felt like she was born to spill oceans of demon blood the world over, with her army behind her.

"Don't let them escape," Buffy yelled to her slayers. "Kill them all!"

There was a resounding cry of courage and strength behind her and she knew this was another apocalypse averted. The portal was dwindling, and the demons were beginning to fight sloppy with their fear.

Satsu glanced to her right towards Buffy and smiled as she saw how focused her lover was in the fight. She didn't need to worry about Buffy getting injured or missing a beat in the battle; she was unstoppable. It made Satsu yearn to be closer to her, to feel the distinct energy that rippled from Buffy as she slid so easily into the pureness of the slayer within. It was intoxicating and addictive. . .but she had her own job to do, with her own team of highly trained killers.

Though it had been months since Satsu had stayed behind in Tokyo after their unofficial break-up from their unofficial relationship, Buffy and Satsu had jumped at every opportunity they could to get together. Satsu was under no illusions about what it meant for Buffy – it was about sex, and connecting, and taking pleasure and comfort when it seemed like all that was left was the never ending fight against evil. She knew Buffy wasn't in love with her, but at least it was her that she came to. It was her that Buffy sought out when she felt alone and needed something to make her feel, other than the slaying. And she had a feeling that somewhere inside. . .there was more to it.

"Circle around them, they're cut off from the portal," Satsu called out, seeing the portal finally closing in on itself.

Her team followed her orders and charged at the enemy, crushing and killing as the demons panicked and tried to flee. She felt the buzz of victory begin to well inside her and tore through the enemy with her blade held firmly in her hands. Every slide of the sharp weapon into rigid flesh made Satsu fight stronger and faster. She'd learned a lot from Buffy – not just about how to be strong, but how to be smart with it. There was no fight she didn't think she could win. No demon or vampire she didn't think she could fell.

"Round 'em up and take 'em down. Show them what slayers are made of," Faith shouted, her dark hair catching the breeze within it as she span and dashed, carving into the crowd with the scythe Buffy usually held close to her.

Buffy felt the rousing call lift her further. She felt suddenly connected again. . .to Faith, to Satsu, to all the slayers. It was brief but it was there. She was one with them all as they took the demons down easily now they had no more coming through the portal to fill their ranks.

Looking to her right side, she watched as Faith powered her way through hulking monsters intent on killing as many as they could before they lost the battle. She looked as magnificent as ever as she fought. All heat and rage rolling into a strong, unstoppable force. She'd grown so much in the last year, taking on the responsibility of holding the fort at the Cleveland hellmouth, helping troubled slayers find their way, and following the path a slayer should follow.

They'd settled the misunderstanding that had happened between them when Faith had gone undercover for Giles, but Buffy knew they'd never really be friends. It just didn't seem possible. There was too much going on between them for it ever to be simple, and Buffy didn't even know what half of it was herself. They'd learned to respect each other as slayers over the past few months when Faith would step up to the plate to help out, and that was a start at least. It was something to build on.

As Buffy felt her knuckles cracking on faceless foes, she filtered out the cries and snorts around her, searching with her ears for Satsu's voice. What she had with Satsu was something she couldn't define, much like her complicated relationship with Faith. With Satsu she'd given in to her basic urges, feeling comfortable allowing herself to take what she needed from Satsu in a way she'd never allowed herself to with Faith. She had never gone down that road with Faith; they'd been too busy fighting to try anything else. . .but Buffy could now accept that she'd wanted Faith in the physical sense. In the sense that had terrified her at the time.

Hearing Satsu calling out orders to her team of slayers, Buffy relaxed a little into the fight as they cleared up the remaining demons. She could see Faith out of the corner of her eye, and she could hear Satsu pummeling foes to her left. She felt strangely safe and warm between them.

As demon blood washed across the ground and injured slayers were helped away from the action, Buffy heard a crackling noise rising from the diminishing portal. It wasn't much more than a swirling speck of light, but it sounded like something was trying to burst out from within it.

"Watch out!" Faith cried out, the scythe held aloft as she shielded herself from a flash of bright light.

Buffy turned towards Faith; seeing that she was ducking away from the portal Buffy did the same, throwing herself to the ground just quick enough to avoid the arcing bolts of lightning that spouted from the portal like white tendrils. They spat and hissed, jumping along the ground - bullwhips of electrical energy.

"Get back!" Buffy commanded, watching slayers scramble out of the way as demons burst into flames upon being hit by the slashing beams of electricity.

She whipped her head around just in time to see Satsu falling to her knees as a shaft of lightning struck the ground by her feet. A lone demon - one of the last – took that opportunity to lash out at her. It grabbed Satsu's sword, knocking the pommel soundly into the back of her skull before swiping it powerfully down at her as she stumbled forwards.

Satsu rolled away as fast as she could into the fall, her eyes wide as searing pain burned across her leg where her own sword dug into her flesh. The demon had her head pounding and had cut her good and deep in her thigh, but she watched him crumble to the floor with a thud as a shiny red scythe whooshed over her and plunged into his chest. She instantly thought it had been Buffy's doing, but hearing Faith yell out in triumph corrected her.

It was Buffy who was now at her side inspecting her thigh, however.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see him until it was. . ."

"It's ok, Buffy," Satsu assured, mumbling through the haze of pain in her skull, allowing Buffy to help her to her feet. "I was too slow."

"You weren't," Buffy assured. "I should have warned you."

They rushed back away from the portal as best they could, but Satsu was limping badly. She was glad to have Buffy at her side supporting her, and surprised to see Faith showing apparent concern for her. She could tell how much Faith liked Buffy. . .she'd seen it so obviously in the way she looked at her, but she didn't know if Buffy was totally aware of it. Satsu had worked hard not to be jealous, and it seemed Faith had worked even harder. Their last meeting – teaming up to clear out a large vamp nest after Faith had traveled to Japan to find a rogue slayer - had been a far more prickly affair.

This time Faith seemed more relaxed - friendly even.

Satsu didn't have much more time to dwell on it as the crowd of slayers now clearly safe yelled for them to hurry. She turned to see a large plume of white light chasing down their tracks.

"Fuck!" Faith shouted as it reached their feet and engulfed the three of them.

Buffy felt the full force of it hit her back, and she was hurtling through the air before she had time to grab firmly onto Satsu. The world spun and she felt nauseous as a loud thud indicated that she'd landed hard.

Hearing Faith yelp in pain next to her, Buffy tried to shake herself free of the murky feeling that had descended over her. The powerful bolt of electricity had felt like a truck hitting them, and she needed to check if Faith and Satsu were ok.

Blinking the light from her eyes, she saw Faith not too far away being lifted by some of the girls - she looked shaken but in one piece. Looking further down towards where the explosive bolt had hit them, she saw Satsu lying lifeless on the ground. Blood was pouring from the wound on her leg, and she was clearly unconscious.

"Oh, God," Buffy muttered, trying to get to her feet as quick as she could. "Help her!"

The slayers closest heeded her call and rushed towards their friend as Buffy struggled to stand. She seemed to be hurting everywhere and her legs kept buckling beneath her. She needed to get to Satsu, but she couldn't.

"It's ok, B," Faith said as she arrived beside her. "I got ya."

She lifted Buffy up and held her solid against her, letting her stumble towards Satsu and the remains of the battle. There were no more demons now and no more bolts of electricity. The portal was gone and they'd won. Buffy hoped the victory hadn't come at a high price. She needed Satsu to be alright.

Willow was on her knees beside the prone slayer, her hands glowing red as she moved them over her body, not quite touching her but obviously doing something she thought was necessary. A few other slayers hastily brought a stretcher ready to be loaded. They were all doing their duties perfectly; looking after one another. Slayers fresh from fighting now helping their injured friends back into the comfort of the castle and the promise of hot showers and clean dressings for whatever wounds they'd sustained.

"Is she. . ?" Buffy stuttered as they reached Satsu.

"She's alive," Willow answered. "But she's not going dancing for a while, that's for sure."

One of the slayers from Satsu's gang quickly dressed the gash on her leg to stem the flow of blood, and they gently rolled her onto the stretcher. Buffy felt a tide of relief flow through her at Willow's words; Satsu was going to be fine. She was hurt, but she wasn't gone. Buffy didn't know if she could deal with her being gone.

A soft sob escaped her and she allowed Faith to hold her tighter as they followed the stretcher into the castle.

* * *

After a short debriefing once all the injured girls had been taken care of and sent to get some rest, Buffy finally felt like it was time to call it a night. She had her own injuries dressed, and her head still felt a little fuzzy, but all in all she was in good shape – if not a little worn out.

Faith was fine – ever tough and steadfast. She hadn't left Buffy's side for more than a few minutes since the last big explosion of the fight. It seemed she was more interested in Buffy's needs than her own; fetching her something to eat and drink before offering to help her up the stairs to bed. Buffy was pretty sure she didn't actually need help, but the offer was sweet, and she liked having Faith close by. It was comforting. Strange, but comforting.

They ascended the stairs in relative silence; Faith's hands floating close to Buffy whenever she felt exhaustion hinder her footfalls. Buffy didn't know why she felt quite so tired. Maybe it was more of an emotional exhaustion. She'd certainly felt all the energy drain out of her as she'd taken in the sight of her lover lying motionless in the dirt. It had struck her firmly in the stomach, knocking out all the adrenaline she'd been flying high on. She never wanted to see that again.

Buffy still felt weak from the memory even though she knew Satsu was okay – safe now. They'd hurried her inside and bound her wounds, and Willow had eased the pain. She was now resting in Buffy's bed – their usual sleeping arrangement whenever Satsu was in town – and though she'd feel woozy for a little while there was no need to worry. But Buffy couldn't help worrying. Satsu meant more to her than most. She was there for her to hold onto. She was Buffy's solace. She was. . .Buffy hadn't quite figured it all out, but she knew for sure that her heart had practically bled itself dry at the thought of Satsu dying.

It had been Faith who had held her together. Faith who was still by her side now as they reached Buffy's door. Faith that strayed into Buffy's dreams at night when her guard was down; when she felt herself yearning, needing, reaching out with everything but her hands.

"Thank you, Faith," Buffy said softly, quietly pushing at the large wooden door to her bedroom; holding onto the knob and keeping it from swinging open completely. "You've really. . ." Been surprising? Caring? Sweet? Buffy wasn't sure how to describe it, but it made her heart flutter in a slightly different way to how she normally made it feel.

There was no point in denying that Faith had always been under Buffy's skin. She'd done the denying, but she was older now, and wiser. Buffy felt Faith under the layers. She was etched into her in a way she didn't think she'd ever understand given their history.

"You've really helped," Buffy finally decided. "With everything."

She reached out and touched Faith lightly on the arm, feeling the faint twitch of a muscle under her fingers. As she kept her gaze fixed on Faith's dark, demanding eyes, she suddenly noticed just how tired Faith looked.

It had been a long few days for Faith. She'd been on the trail of another slayer night and day before Buffy had placed the call for help. Having to ditch the trail in order to get to Scotland and help out, Faith had left herself with a lot of work to do. It made Buffy even more grateful, and even more surprised at how attentive and eager the other girl was being despite her own now obvious fatigue.

Faith smiled gently – not something Buffy was used to – and shrugged.

"No big, B," she said; all Boston drawl and erotic rasp. "Just doin' my duty, like a good slayer does." She winked and tucked her hands in the pockets of her tight jeans.

Smiling and giving a little chuckle, Buffy shook her head. She knew it was more than just duty. She knew it because she could see it in Faith's eyes. She had felt it in Faith's touch.

"Well I'm grateful," Buffy pressed shyly, feeling all of a sudden awkward as they stood close to one another in the dim light of the corridor.

"Buffy?" Satsu called weakly from inside the room. "Faith?"

"Oops," Buffy cringed, realizing they'd been stood outside the open door longer than she'd planned.

She pushed the door open a little further so Satsu could see them both. Giving her lover a warm smile, Buffy apologized for waking her.

"It's ok," Satsu responded, groaning ever so slightly as she tried to sit up.

"Easy, slayer," Buffy admonished, moving further into the room and leaving Faith lingering behind. "Don't want you falling outta bed and cracking your skull again. It confuses me when you get all disorientated and start speaking Japanese."

"Bet it sounds kinda sexy though, huh," Faith commented from the doorway with a smirk.

They hadn't really spoken about Buffy's relationship with Satsu so Buffy blushed a little and tried not to nod in agreement.

Satsu huffed a little laugh and allowed Buffy to help her into a slightly more comfortable position. She glanced past Buffy and towards Faith, noticing how she was shifting from foot to foot. Satsu hadn't meant to interrupt whatever they were talking about, but now she had. . .she felt a little bad. She knew their history. She knew how hard it was for them to talk without it turning into a battle. She also knew there was more to what they felt for each other than either Buffy or Faith would probably ever admit to themselves. Any fool could see what lay under the surface of all that tension.

Sure, she was jealous that Faith made Buffy feel something she never would, but she loved Buffy enough to accept it. There was no hating Faith for what couldn't be helped. Not now anyway - especially after Faith's well timed throw had saved her skin.

"Come in a sec, Faith?" Satsu asked.

Faith furrowed her brow and raised her eyebrows at the same time; leading to an expression that even Satsu herself had to concede was kind of cute. She knew Buffy had noticed too as she glanced over at Faith and then quickly away – as if she didn't want to be caught looking.

"Sure," Faith mumbled in reply.

She sauntered into Buffy's bedroom all nonchalant and cool, but Satsu saw the way her eyes flicked from the bed to Buffy. From the floor to the comfy couch. From the hastily thrown mix of clothing upon the couch back to Satsu. There was something behind that cool and calm exterior. Something primal. Something hot and needy, and plenty enticing.

Satsu suddenly realized what Buffy saw in Faith. She was a cavern of mysterious depths, all coiled energy and violence, sex appeal and temptation. It almost seemed like Faith was the very essence of the slayer within them all. She carried the line, and she carried the yearning of a hungry soul that needed feeding. It made complete sense that Faith would want Buffy, and just as much sense that Buffy would want her right back. . .even if she didn't want to acknowledge it herself. Even if she was clueless to what Faith felt for her, and needed from her.

"Wanted to thank you," Satsu said as Faith idled closer to the bed. "If you hadn't thrown the scythe I might have. . ."

Buffy's face went pale as she stood to the side - that image again of Satsu lying lifeless in the grass. Her mind couldn't deal with the possibility of what could have happened.

"Seriously, it was no big. . ." Faith began.

"No," Buffy interrupted, "Satsu's right. Thank you, Faith."

She gave Faith a grateful smile that made Faith look away. Was she nervous? Embarrassed? Buffy couldn't tell but it didn't really matter, just as long as she realized how thankful they were. Every slayer was precious. Every life that hung in the balance under Buffy's supervision was one she cherished, but none so much as the two slayers now in the room with her. She felt closer to both of them, for reasons that were as much different as the same. Losing either of them at this point would kill her too.

"B, you don't look too good," Faith noted, cautiously placing a strong hand on her shoulder as Buffy felt her body fluttering with grief she hadn't even been exposed to yet.

"I'm ok, I just need to. . ." she flopped backwards onto the plush couch behind her, "sit."

Satsu scrunched up her brow and tried to shuffle out of bed so she could take Buffy's hand in her own and make sure she was alright. The pain and tugging in her leg soon brought her to a wincing standstill.

"Shit," she grimaced.

"Man, you're both like a coupla old maids or something," Faith commented, grinning slightly in an obvious attempt to lighten the somber mood that had begun to descend. "You, stay," she instructed Satsu. "And you. . .take a drink."

Faith grabbed the pitcher of water from the bedside table and poured Buffy a glass, handing it to her before offering Satsu one too. Satsu shook her head and settled back into the pillows, her eyes staying on Buffy as she sipped at the cool liquid.

"Been a tough day. You should both get some sleep, heal, do whatever it is you get up to in here together," Faith stated, yawning now herself through her attempted smirk.

Buffy couldn't help but blush once more at the comment about her relationship with Satsu, but she refused to feel too bad. They were adults, doing what adults do when they find each other attractive and. . .feel the need to do something about it. The something she'd never tried with Faith.

"It's been a tough year," Buffy muttered, thinking about all the ups and downs. About the debacle with Faith.

"Yeah," Faith responded with a heartfelt sigh.

Buffy could tell there was more behind that sigh than what she knew, and she felt compelled to ask about it. She had an idea of what Faith had to do when faced with slayers who wouldn't play nice, but she hadn't spent too long dwelling on the details – too uncomfortable to think about how that would make a person feel. How it would make a slayer - the slayer that held the lineage within her grasp – feel.

"Has it been bad?" Buffy asked, raising her eyes to look up at Faith as she stood between her and the bed. "With Giles I mean."

A small grin lifted the corner of Faith's mouth as she glanced at Buffy.

"Has it been bad with Giles?" she repeated with a slight chuckle. "Well, he's kinda stuffy and leaves tea bags all over the place when he drops round, and he doesn't like it when I bring strangers home, but yunno. . .could be worse."

Buffy rolled her eyes and shook her head, placing the glass of water beside the small table next to the couch.

"You know what I meant," Buffy asserted.

As Faith shuffled on her feet, looking mildly stricken with the notion of thinking about it too much, Buffy wished she could take back the question.

"I didn't mean to. . ."

"No, it's cool," Faith mumbled as she ran a hand through the gentle waves of her hair. "It's just not something I talk about."

She blinked in the soft light, dusky makeup emphasizing her sullen and tortured eyes as her gaze drifted around the small room, leaving Buffy in no doubt that she'd had to do some horrific things - even if they had been necessary. It was a weight she wasn't sure she could carry herself.

From her position on the bed, Satsu listened. Her eyes were growing heavy and body limp, but she had the presence of mind to feel for Faith and what she'd been tasked to do. It couldn't be easy for anybody, let alone Faith.

"Sorry you have to do that," Satsu murmured sleepily.

Appearing even more uncomfortable, Faith started fidgeting with the black leather strap that wrapped tightly around her wrist.

"Somebody's gotta do it, might as well be me," Faith replied, her voice low and troubled. "It's not like I have to. . .kill them all."

Buffy wanted to reach out to Faith to ease her obvious pain, but she couldn't. Not only would it have been awkward with Satsu in the room, but well. . .they'd never been that way with each other, even though Faith had pushed a few of those boundaries in the past few hours.

"Tell me about the ones you got through to," Buffy spoke up, trying to help make Faith's work something to be proud of instead of it being a burden.

Turning to look more at Buffy, Faith raised a shapely eyebrow as if she'd forgotten she'd managed to help any slayers that would otherwise have ended up dead anyway.

"Don't know if there's anything to tell," Faith said with a shrug.

"I'm sure you can think of something, Faith," Buffy pressed, sliding over on the couch to give Faith some room to sit down. "Tell me some stories," she added with a smile, patting the seat next to her. "You were always good at the story telling."

Even as tired as she felt Buffy always had time for possible naked-wrestler-Faith stories.

TBC...


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two 

Faith regarded Buffy with a guarded smile for a few seconds before finally relenting and taking a seat next to her. It wasn't long before Buffy had her opening up a little about some of her travels as she searched out rogue slayers all over the world. There were funny stories, but most of them seemed sad, almost hopeless. It was obvious Faith was trying not to show how much it was all affecting her, but Buffy could tell.

Satsu could also tell, and she listened for as long as she could before closing her eyes and feeling the weight of sleep drag her downwards. A few weeks before and she might have felt differently about Buffy being left alone with Faith – gravitating slowly towards each other on the couch – but she didn't feel jealousy. She didn't even feel particularly threatened. In fact, she felt somewhat pleasantly warmed by the presence of them both, knowing how much feeling lay under the surface of all their thoughts about each other.

Maybe it was a slayer thing, or maybe it was just something Satsu couldn't put her finger on. Whatever it was, she felt a strong connection flowing through them all – she loved Buffy, Faith loved Buffy, and Buffy obviously loved Faith no matter how well she thought she hid it. What Satsu wasn't certain of was Buffy's feelings for her. She knew now – given Buffy's reactions – that it wasn't just about the sex. Even though that would have been fine in itself. . .it went deeper than that. They connected more than just physically, craved each other on more than just one level.

They all had a lot in common.

"I think your chick's asleep," Faith pointed out, nodding her way as Buffy smiled easily over at the bed.

"She's not really my. . .chick," Buffy corrected hesitantly, looking back at Faith and suddenly realizing just how close they'd gotten.

Faith also glanced down at the sparse distance between them, but she didn't say anything about it. Instead she draped her arm over the back of the couch behind Buffy, facing her a little more as they accepted the intimate atmosphere – intimate for them at least.

"You don't have to pretend with me yunno, B," Faith encouraged. "I can see she means a lot to you."

Buffy thought about denying it, but as she took another lingering glance over at the beautiful, courageous girl in her bed she knew she couldn't.

"She does mean a lot to me," Buffy confessed, unable to hide her affectionate smile, though a yawn took it from her before it could linger. "But it's a little complicated."

"Things are only as complicated as you make them," Faith offered, her voice lower and huskier now the night was drawing on. "Doesn't always have to be that way."

"Does it always have to be that way between us?" Buffy asked without thinking, shocking herself at the chance she was taking.

They rarely, if ever, spoke this way with each other. Usually, fists and fire got in the way of conversation. It felt different, however. As they sat close to one another in the soft light coming from the bedside lamp, the air warm, an embracing post-battle hum trickling through their veins, it was clear that a shift had happened. Maybe there had been one too many fights, misunderstandings and hurtful words. Maybe what had previously only ever lay hidden under the layers they'd created was pushing to the surface.

"We're a whole new level of complicated, Twinkie," Faith replied with a calm smile.

Buffy mirrored the smile and subconsciously dipped her head to look up at Faith through her eyelashes. "Ever wonder why that is, Faith?" she urged.

Faith licked her lips and seemed to ponder the question, chocolate brown eyes never leaving Buffy's.

"Got my theories," Faith answered, the sexy burr to her voice making Buffy's spine tingle; scratches of desire searching their way through her resolve.

She looked deep into the eyes that held so much mystery. Their warmth enveloped her in a way that almost shocked Buffy. Faith's eyes had always held steel barriers within them in the past, but now – peering past the dusky makeup and years of pain – she saw truths within them. She saw a girl that was full of carefully banked emotion. A girl whose temper and heart lay on her sleeve in equal measure. A girl Buffy had always felt for, whether it be anger, disappointment, hope, love.

"Maybe one day we'll work it out," Buffy said quietly. Hopefully.

A small, slow nod was Faith's response, and that was good enough for now. It gave Buffy hope. She wasn't sure what it was she was hoping for exactly, but she never wanted to slip back into old habits with Faith again. They'd plunged the depths of all that was bad and wrong inside them in their struggle to exist together, and Buffy was tired of it.

She was also tired out from the last week of frantic researching, training, and then fighting. Her eyelids were threatening to end the conversation, and though she fought the need to sleep with all the strength she had left, she knew it was one battle she was going to lose.

From her position in bed, Satsu listened to the soft voices until the soft voices drifted into quietness. Opening her eyes just a crack, she squinted past the lamplight towards the couch. Buffy's eyes were closed, her face relaxed and content as her head lolled to the side. Faith was looking down at her warmly – an intense tenderness that Satsu had never seen since she'd known her soothing her features.

Satsu had looked at Buffy many times that way when Buffy had lay sleeping beside her. She'd also whispered her fingers gently over Buffy's hair in the way Faith now was, and held her breath and wished with all her heart for her love to be returned. She saw herself in Faith, and found herself willingly wading into the waters of compassion.

Without all the bravado, the tough-talk, brazen leather and language. . .Faith was the perfect picture of serene beauty. The soft tumble of her dark hair in contrast to the lightly tanned sheen of her skin made for a faultless contrast. Eyes that could cut you down with a look one minute, then have you weak at the knees the next. The strength of her features. Bold frame of her body. Distinct air of her presence; powerful, passionate, unashamed. She was stunning in her foreboding disquiet.

Though Satsu would always find Buffy the more attractive of the two, she couldn't help but allow herself to appreciate Faith in a way she'd never dared to before. If not for the adorable allure of her lover. . .she could very well find herself falling for Faith's looks, if not her aura of danger. She knew that would come with even more heartache and peril than falling in love with Buffy had brought her – which made Satsu pity Buffy's already battered heart. Faith was forbidden fruit, for everybody that had ever wanted to reach out and pluck it from the tangled vine.

As Satsu looked on – eyes wishing to close despite her will – Buffy let out a soft snore, causing Faith to smile at her even more fondly. It was the same reaction Satsu always had with that cute little sound.

Buffy remained blissfully unaware of her audience; body relaxing against Faith, and head rolling onto her shoulder. Faith didn't seem to know quite what to do with Buffy snuggling into her. She stayed stoic and silent, and didn't flinch when Buffy's hand roamed over to her thigh.

A faint flutter of jealousy ricocheted around inside Satsu, but it soon diffused to nothing as she noted the serene look on her lover's face. She couldn't be jealous; couldn't deny Buffy any kind of happiness or contentment, no matter how fleeting. They were all slayers. All caught up in the precarious search for peace amongst the burning ruins of battle. And as Faith's hand tenderly lay upon Buffy's on her thigh, Satsu had high hopes that Buffy would find her peace.

"Faith," Satsu spoke softly, so she wouldn't rouse Buffy.

Faith looked up towards Satsu, a flicker of guilt bruising her features as she removed her hand from the one on her leg.

"It's ok," Satsu assured, eyes gentle as they watched Faith struggling with her defenses. "But maybe you could bring her to bed?" she asked with a smile, wanting Buffy to rest as comfortably as she could.

Furrowing her brow, Faith glanced back down at Buffy. She licked her ample lips and assessed the situation. Satsu could tell that Faith was attempting to think of the best way to move Buffy, without waking her and creating awkwardness that would roll back the few good hours they'd spent together. Eventually, with a silent sigh, Faith made her move.

She kept her movements slow and steady; strong arms pulling Buffy closer to her body. There was a whimper from Buffy – a sleepy mumble about soft pillows and marshmallow. Both Faith and Satsu smiled, their eyes snagging each others in the dull light. A knowing look. An exchange.

Once certain that Buffy was still sleeping, Faith walked her easily over to the opposite side of the bed. She had Buffy laid out in her arms, hands at her back and under her legs, touching skin exposed by the shorts Buffy had put on after a brief shower once the battle was done. Faith's footfalls were quiet and precise as she carried her; Buffy's arm instinctively wrapping around her for support, head resting against her shoulder.

Dark and light hair tumbled together in stark contrast. A peaceful, sleeping expression and a tight, tempestuous brow reflected the ever present danger in the girls' relationship with one another. Their feelings bounced haphazardly off one another, never landing clean, never catching a break in the violence.

Satsu pulled back the covers as Faith drew near, studying her deep frown, wishing she could help ease the anguish inside her. She doubted the anguish would ever be tamed for Faith, but Satsu had come to the conclusion that she couldn't allow Faith to remain in so much pain over Buffy. Loving Buffy was Faith's crime - just as it was Satsu's - but Faith had obviously never fully come to terms with it or the hurt it caused her. It was a raging sea inside her, leading her this way and that on its tides; buoying her and drowning her, ripping and pulling.

Laying Buffy gently into the bed next to Satsu, Faith exhaled a long held breath. Her eyes caught Satsu's and they lingered – the light throwing flecks of gold deep into luxurious brown that poured over Satsu like melted chocolate. It wasn't until she found herself feeling flushed that Satsu realized Faith's eyes were lingering for a reason – she was only wearing a small tank top and panties, and the covers were pulled back enough to expose her.

She tried to swallow noiselessly as her body reacted to such an open look of admiration. It probably wasn't right that Faith was making her feel somewhat aroused given the fact she loved Buffy, and the fact Faith was her supposed rival. Satsu was a sexual person, however. And of course she was also a slayer that had fought hard and long just a few hours before – she was bound to be susceptible to such looks.

Breaking the moment, Faith blinked and pulled her arms out from under Buffy. Leaving Buffy to murmur and snuggle closer to Satsu in search of comfort, Faith straightened up but allowed her gaze to wander over both girls. Her hand swept through her lush hair, eyes catching Satsu's once more before she turned to leave.

A moment of hesitation stalled Faith, and pushed Satsu into doing something reckless. Something unhindered in its leap into the unknown.

"Stay," Satsu said a little shakily.

Faith turned her head towards her, the crease in her brow deepening as she gave Satsu a confused look.

Licking her suddenly dry lips, Satsu went with her gut feeling – she went with what Buffy would want if she were able to climb over their history to get to it. She went with what was in Faith's eyes. She went with the distinct buzz that being around Faith and Buffy gave her, slayer and otherwise.

"There's plenty of room," Satsu continued quietly.

Buffy shuffled a little as Satsu moved over and encouraged her to follow. She didn't wake, and Faith continued to look down at them, her expression now ambiguous in its motionless state.

Flicking her eyes down to the bed and back up to Faith she was sure Faith understood her meaning. She didn't quite know for certain what she was offering, but it felt right. If Buffy got mad at her for presuming something that wasn't true, she would deal with the consequences. Satsu was no shrinking violet; she went after what she wanted and walked through life boldly. It was about time Buffy did that with Faith, and if all it took was a small shove, then Satsu was happy to do the shoving. . .as long as that didn't completely wreck her own timid relationship with Buffy. Something told her – from what she'd seen of them both recently – that her decision was in all their interests. And even if it wasn't. . .her inner-slayer clearly knew what was right and wrong. It knew what it wanted.

Faith seemed to be flitting between sure and unsure and a now nervous hand rubbed at the back of her neck. She passed her tongue over her bottom lip, her nostrils flaring slightly as she stared down at the bed and its occupants. There was an almost feral look in Faith's eyes, and Satsu felt her heart rate quickening.

It wasn't as if she was in any way going to initiate something sexual – she was mostly just offering a moment of closeness, a night in which all that existed was warmth and hope - but her mind was wandering. She couldn't help herself thinking about Faith naked, aroused, participating in the hot sex she and Buffy shared. That wasn't what this was about though – mainly – it was about so much more. She hoped Faith understood that too.

"Dunno if that's such a good idea," Faith finally said, her voice cracking in its husky quietness.

"Take a chance that it is," Satsu pursued.

Faith looked away, eyes eating up the space around her as she fought with whatever was kicking and screaming inside her. The quick rising and falling of Faith's chest indicated the gravity of the decision. It was definitely a risk, but was it one she wanted to take? Did she know Buffy enough to realize she only had one choice?

With a final heavy breath, Faith straightened in her resolve and without ceremony pulled off her tee shirt and began unbuckling and unzipping herself out of her pants.

Satsu watched as Faith slid the tight material down her sleek legs, leaving them to pool at the floor on top of her boots. Her panties matched the bra she'd left on; black, uncomplicated, small. Stood in just her underwear, she regarded Satsu and the silent and sleeping Buffy once more with slight trepidation before gingerly joining them. Her added weight made the bed give a little squeak as she slid in next to Buffy and Satsu threw the covers over her.

Deciding against offering Faith something more comfortable to sleep in, Satsu smiled to herself. Faith had one hell of a body, and she seriously doubted Buffy was going to mind having it pressed up against her.

"She's gonna kill me," Faith mumbled as she rested her head down close to Buffy's. "And then she'll kill you."

With a small chuckle, Satsu shook her head. "She needs this."

Faith's eyes caught Satsu's over a sweep of blonde hair, confusion evident as it cut across her brow. Satsu didn't think she could explain it without sounding somewhat weird. It was just a feeling she had, and since being a slayer she'd learned to listen to those feelings. It wasn't often that she was wrong, and though Buffy thought she hid all her secrets well, Satsu had been able to learn more about her than most probably did. Scarce yet long nights trying and failing to stop the inevitable plunge into naked and sweaty grasping and groaning had brought them closer together than Satsu had thought possible.

When Faith had herself settled on her side next to Buffy, Satsu shuffled around until she was also comfortable; trying to keep her injured leg from throbbing by lying on her side facing the two slayers, resting on her good leg. Buffy mumbled and turned her back a little to Faith so she was facing Satsu more. Her hand traveled to Satsu's thigh, just above her bandage, as she found the natural comfort zone; head dipping almost under Satsu's chin towards her upper chest.

It took a minute or two for Buffy to sink back into full sleep, and Satsu heard Faith take a shaky breath once the snoring resumed.

"Don't worry," Satsu reassured.

She stroked her fingers lightly across Buffy's back over the small tee shirt she was wearing. Her body was urging her to forget that it was hurting - at least long enough to take care of the post slaying hornies – as the back of her knuckles glanced over Faith's stomach. She pushed the urge aside, although it was difficult with two gorgeous girls in bed with her.

"Don't worry?" Faith asked, giving a grunt to emphasize how crazy she obviously thought that idea was. "I'm seriously headed for a world of pain when she wakes up. I should go."

Faith sighed, but she didn't move.

"She'd want you to stay," Satsu said quietly over Buffy. "If she didn't, she'd be awake by now and your ass would be hittin' the floor. Buff's not that much of a heavy sleeper."

She gave Faith a wink and grinned at the slightly stricken expression the info gave her. It wasn't as if Satsu believed Buffy was awake and knew exactly what was happening, but even as exhausted as she was she had to be aware of the extra body now in her bed. Just how aware, and how bothered by it she was, Satsu couldn't know for sure – but she could guess.

"I dunno," Faith said, breathing out heavily as she rested her head on her elbow, now looking down on Buffy.

With a soft sigh Buffy appeared to push back against Faith under the covers, causing Faith to clench her jaw and raise an eyebrow.

"Maybe it's worth gettin' knocked on my ass for though," she muttered as Satsu gave her a knowing grin.

They shared a moment of silence as Satsu's hand kept up its slow rhythm over Buffy's back. The fact she was also - quite by accident - rubbing the back of her hand over Faith's stomach didn't go mentioned by either girl, though the subtle tensing of Faith's muscles now and then told Satsu more than Faith obviously planned on. She didn't mind; Faith's skin was hot and soft, and there was the added bonus that Faith wasn't telling her to stop at least.

"You're in love with her aren't you," Satsu stated, her voice a quiet whisper as she watched Faith watching Buffy.

Faith blinked, her eyes flicking to the door past the bottom of the bed in panic. She was probably looking for a quick escape, but Satsu knew she wouldn't run. Not now.

Glancing back to Buffy's relaxed face, listening to the sound of her steady breathing, Faith seemed to sense defeat.

"It's not like I ever wanted to be," Faith admitted, barely audible as her voice took on a quiet burr.

She held Satsu's brown eyes with her own and nodded slowly.

"Totally understand that." Nodding along with her, Satsu continued, "I guess it's just something about her."

They both looked down at the very peaceful and tightly snuggled girl in question.

"You ever tell her?" Satsu asked, knowing the answer but keen to hear from Faith why she'd never taken the plunge and said anything.

"Fuck no!" Faith answered - a whispered shout.

Satsu held in the chuckle that threatened to spill out at the intense expression afflicting Faith's features.

"Why?" she pushed, wondering just how far Faith would open up.

Faith gave her a puzzled look and rubbed at her brow just above an expressively arched eyebrow.

"You not caught up on all your Faith and Buffy history?" she questioned. "Too busy fightin' to. . ."

Satsu interrupted. "Maybe if you'd tried. . ."

"Maybe if I hadn't always been too fucked up to."

Satsu nodded in understanding as Faith furrowed her brow indignantly.

It was probably time to stop pushing Faith and let the night wrap its arms around them all – embracing them in their twisted and tangled feelings and needs. She didn't want to piss Faith off too much, and certainly didn't want to chase her out.

Feeling her eyes growing heavy now the conversation seemed to be over, Satsu closed them and rested her head close to Buffy's. She felt Faith shifting down into the mattress, and smiled when a warm stomach pressed closer to the back of her hand, and therefore closer to Buffy.

This was Satsu's gift to Buffy. This was how much she loved her.

This night. . .this night was a victory for the slayer within them all.

TBC…

**(Editing out the naughty bits be damned. It is what it is. Please prepare for mature content in following chapters)**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

A gentle murmur escaped Buffy's lips as she felt the tendrils of sleep slip from around her ever so slightly. She could sense that it was late – or rather, early morning – as no light shone through her closed eyelids. In her slumbering daze she moved her hand over smooth skin under its touch. A smile lifted the corners of her lips; fingers remembering Satsu's slim waist.

She was pressed close to Satsu, their legs entwined under covers that still felt too warm despite the thinness of the cotton. Maybe it wasn't the covers making Buffy's skin hot. It probably had more to do with being sandwiched between two bodies. It certainly gave her pause for thought.

It took a while for Buffy's sleep induced haze to clear enough to fully realize her predicament. Once she had, she wanted to discover exactly where she was, and who was behind her. The last thing she remembered was feeling her eyes drifting closed as she listened to Faith.

Buffy had no problem recognizing her lover's sleeping face in the soft light of the moon as she blinked open her eyes. Again she smiled, and moved her fingers up under Satsu's shirt a little further. They were in her bed, her soft sheets with familiar scents, but there was still the question of the other occupant. She had an idea who it might be – which explained her entire lack of freaking out – but she had to make sure. She had to hold off on hope in favor of certainty.

Slow and steady, Buffy removed her right hand from under Satsu's top. The deep, consistent breathing behind her didn't falter – the soft, plumpness of breasts brushing against Buffy's back with every inhalation. A lightly muscled stomach was also pressed against her, causing her mind to wander, her libido to take note.

Keeping the front of her body turned towards Satsu, Buffy looked over her shoulder; hand now traveling subtly backwards. She bit her lower lip when her fingers met the skin of a bare thigh. Just able to see the dark cascade of brown hair, closed eyes and instantly recognizable features, Buffy had her answer. Her certainty.

Her hand lingered on Faith's leg, delighting in finally touching her. Reveling in the warmth that penetrated her fingertips, as she basked in Faith's scent and the sensation of having her so close.

There was no need to stall for long on the question of why Faith was there – it would have been Satsu's doing. Satsu who was braver than most; willing to take risks others would shy away from. Buffy was glad Satsu was that person, as it's what had brought them together in the first place. It made her fall for her just a little more than she'd yet admitted to herself she already was; a chink of her armor falling away from her heart to reveal it.

Along with the feelings washing over her for Satsu, Buffy felt a distinctive buzz coursing its way through her with the knowledge that Faith had stayed. It wasn't like Faith to risk people uncovering what lay beneath her layers and past the walls she had around herself. But here she was, putting that on the line. Her defenses were down in a way Buffy had never known before, simply because she was there. There sleeping peacefully next to a girl who had spent a lot of time treating her like crap.

As much as Buffy wished she could take all the bad stuff back, it was done, and they both had to live with it. What was important was the desire to change, to move past it all. That's what she hoped Faith wanted too. The fact she was currently heating up Buffy's back probably indicated at least that.

Fingers stroking over Faith's muscled thigh, Buffy felt her push further into her back. If she had a wish right then, it would be for their clothes to suddenly disappear. She wanted to feel Faith flush against her. She needed to feel her skin on skin. It had always been that way, though denying it was easier than accepting it. Fighting with Faith had been easier than trying anything else.

She wasn't that person anymore, however. It was fairly obvious they were both different now. Not different completely, but changed. Wiser, smarter, more prepared to search for more than the angry parts of themselves and each other.

Satsu moved gently in her sleep, causing Buffy to switch her attention to her. Removing her hand from Faith, she brought it back to Satsu, slipping it once more under her small top so she could rest it on the place she'd decided she loved on the girl – maybe all girls. Buffy wasn't sure about all girls as she'd only ever been intimate with Satsu. Still, she imagined the silky skin of most women just above the hip at the waist was as. . .adorable and sexy all at once.

The part that wasn't quite Satsu's stomach, but not yet her back just seemed perfect to Buffy. Her hand fit just right in the small dip – not like the waist of a man, all hard and manly. She enjoyed stroking her palm up and down from hip to ribs, feeling the muscle tighten in response. The external oblique muscle to be precise. Not that Buffy had known that until she'd looked it up when attempting to name the area she'd grown to like touching and holding so much.

Her gaze wandered over Satsu's face, looking for signs of waking. Satsu seemed sound asleep, and Buffy was beginning to wish they were alone. Her inner-slayer needed attention, and her outer-Buffy wouldn't object to some either.

Whispering her fingertips higher under Satsu's top, Buffy felt the swell of a pert breast that made her lick her lips. The fact that Satsu's breathing seemed to quiver certainly wasn't going to help deter her from a little secret groping. Groping Satsu had proved much fun recently. And waking her with said groping never failed to end well. So maybe, if she was really quiet, and slow. . .she could get away with sating her hornies just a little.

Pushing higher, Buffy let her hand sneak a palm full of boob as her thumb sought out the already stiffening nipple. A small grin placed itself on her lips and she circled her thumb over and around the nipple, taking notice of how Satsu reacted even in her sleep.

Rubbing just a bit harder, Buffy maneuvered her leg so that her thigh was between Satsu's. She didn't want to aggravate Satsu's injury, so kept as tender as she could as she felt an inviting warmth on her own thigh between Satsu's legs. The small panties Satsu was wearing didn't leave much to the imagination, and Buffy wanted to slide her hand into them to show her lover how much she wanted her, and how happy she was that she was still there with her.

Of course she didn't; too aware of Faith behind her, and the fact that it would be just a little strange. Her hand didn't move despite that, and her thumb continued to stroke over Satsu. She couldn't help herself, and as Satsu began to breathe somewhat heavier she realized she didn't want to stop.

Inching just a little nearer to Satsu – smiling when she felt Faith stay close as she kind of rolled with her – Buffy nuzzled her nose against Satsu's temple and into her hair. She breathed deeply, enjoying her scent and the fresh smell of shampoo goodness. Closing her eyes, Buffy pushed her thigh up against Satsu more provocatively; a response for her own need to feel something between her legs other than the tingling ache that clearly told her she was aroused.

Her thigh muscles flexed as she kept her movements slow and restrained against Satsu. She knew she should stop; she wasn't stupid. But the slaying, the hornies, and the hot girls, and the. . .yeah, there was no way she could stop the way her hand was now roaming freely over Satsu. Or the way her body had begun to move in a gentle rhythm in search of relief.

The heat encasing them was making her sticky hot, though even if it were freezing she imagined the tingling place between her legs would remain just as warm, and increasingly damp. Thoughts now running as rampant as her libido wanted to be, Buffy nudged her nose a bit harder against Satsu's temple. Her lips were begging to taste her, willing her to brush them across her cheek, heading for her mouth. As she did so she felt Satsu push against her thigh, hot breath spilling from her nostrils when Buffy eagerly pushed back.

Mouth lingering close to Satsu's, Buffy wet her lips slowly with her tongue. Satsu's hand found Buffy under the covers, traveling over her hip towards her lower back under her loose tee shirt. The action caused Buffy to stall and pull her face back a little to look at Satsu.

She watched in the moonlight streaming through the window as Satsu's eyes fluttered open. There was no frown on Satsu's brow. No confusion or accusation as she focused her pretty brown eyes on Buffy.

Feeling her body yearning for more contact, Buffy waited with shallow breaths as Satsu reacted to the situation. Her fingers were now splaying over Buffy's back just under the bra she'd suddenly realized was all kinds of uncomfortable. Just as Buffy reached the verge of feeling guilty in her guilty pleasure, Satsu made her feel more comfortable with the fact she was still partaking in some clandestine groping by leaning forwards.

Their lips brushed together, a slow reintroduction that made Buffy's body switch into automatic; on a path to pleasure, no matter how. She had to try to keep a grip, or Faith would end up getting more than she'd probably bargained on when she'd decided to stick around.

"Buffy," Satsu whispered breathlessly across inviting lips as Buffy all but ground her thigh into her.

Satsu wasn't sure if she was willing Buffy on or pleading for her to stop, though the fact her lips were once more on Buffy's gave her some obvious clues. A sigh escaped her as Buffy increased the pressure between her legs and rubbed deliciously at a hard nipple. She couldn't help but move with Buffy; keeping it slow and sensual. Buffy's tongue flicked over her lower lip and she took it inside her mouth, letting Buffy kiss her more deeply.

She loved these moments – before the urge, the hunger and passion swept fully over them. She felt closest to Buffy in them. She felt Buffy opening up. Then once they'd fully wake and clutch onto the desire burning inside them, all that she'd be able to think and feel was pleasure and heat gripping them in a strong grasp that squeezed until they both popped.

The desire was already quickly taking over Satsu, and she could tell Buffy felt it the same, if not more considering it was her who had initiated this. Not that that was all that strange as Buffy had surprised her on quite a few occasions in the middle of the night. What was strange was the fact she could very clearly feel that Faith was still in the bed – she was close enough for Satsu to feel her against the back of her hand as she held Buffy. Moving her hand just an inch upwards, she collided with a taut nipple. This was all kinds of intimate and new.

Satsu wasn't sure how to proceed, but her mind was beginning to become a fog of wanting so working out the logistics now was impossible. She knew Buffy had to know Faith was there. It would only be a matter of time before their movements woke her. Should she stop Buffy? Should she try to ask her what she was doing?

"Buffy," Satsu whispered again as she pulled her lips away, feeling Buffy's mouth keep its contact over her jaw and neck – which was terribly distracting. "What about. . ."

Buffy's lips made their way back to Satsu, kissing sensually deep until Satsu could feel her whole body reacting – stomach tightening, lungs burning, and sex growing wet with need.

"I want you," Buffy whispered seductively over Satsu's lips when she finally pulled away, leaving Satsu a puddle of willing goo.

Buffy realized what Satsu was about to ask, and she was asking herself the same question. What about Faith?

The truth was, having Faith so close – feeling her at her back - was only making her more worked up. Whether it was just a slayer thing or much more she wasn't. . .actually, she _was_ sure, she just wasn't certain she could admit it so freely to herself. If she admitted having both Satsu and Faith there was massively turning her on, then she'd have to accept the fact that she was a giant pervert. Or at least, a small one. . .with great taste.

"I just need to. . ." touch, taste, have. Buffy couldn't hold herself back.

She slid her hand down Satsu's stomach to the waistband of her panties, enjoying the way Satsu squirmed under her touch. She knew Satsu wanted her, was hot and probably wet for her. She could see it in her eyes and smell it seeping from her skin. As she toyed with the idea of continuing on the path down, Buffy suddenly felt Faith shifting behind her.

Buffy hadn't stopped her subtle movements into Satsu - movements that had inadvertently caused her backside to brush up against Faith's middle in an intimate way. It hadn't escaped her, and was in fact driving her on, especially now that it felt like Faith was moving with her – against her. With a slight shudder, Buffy arched her back, pushing her rear into Faith to give them more contact. She knew she was playing with fire, but right now she didn't care how much her hands would char and burn; she wanted to touch the flames.

Faith groaned sleepily, a husky burr that rumbled through Buffy. Her groin rubbed up against Buffy in the same rhythm she'd been moving against Satsu with. She didn't know if Faith was fully awake, or just waking. Didn't know if - when reality hit - she'd find herself being pushed away or pulled closer. The thrill of not knowing made Buffy hotter, wetter.

A mumble from behind made her heart pick up pace and her hand decided its own fate as it slid over the top of Satsu's panties.

Satsu sighed, lips moving over Buffy's chin and down to her neck as Buffy teased her over the material covering her. She tried not to shiver as she felt Buffy passing over her clit and back again, not quite pressing hard enough to give her what she now wanted so badly. Her own hand dug in to Buffy's back, pressing firm in restrained need, then moving just right to rub the back of her hand against Faith's breast and nipple.

It was naughty, risky, and too tempting to be a bad thing.

When her lips found Buffy's once again, she was sure Faith was awake. There was no way she could have missed the moan that came from Buffy, or the movement of the bed as the kiss became hard and desperate instead of tender and slow. Satsu didn't know what would happen, but she was too caught up. The hum of the slayer twisted around inside her, entwining with Faith and Buffy's slayer in a way that was consuming, exciting, charged with feelings Satsu couldn't even begin to unravel.

"Oh, Tentei," Satsu groaned as Buffy's fingers finally plunged beneath her panties. "Zutto tsuzukete."

"Damn," Faith drawled huskily as she pressed harder into Buffy, "knew that Japanese shit'd be sexy."

Buffy stalled in her movements now she knew for sure that Faith was awake; her fingers lightly touching Satsu – holding still - and just able to feel her wet arousal seeping over them.

"Don't stop for me," Faith said, her voice dripping with a lusty tension. "Unless you want me to go."

It didn't sound like Faith wanted to go to Satsu. It sounded quite the opposite, and she could still feel the enticingly erect nipple against her knuckles.

There was no doubt for Buffy that she wanted Faith to stay. That's not to say she wasn't happy just being with Satsu but. . .well, this night seemed different. All kinds of different. It felt like she should give in to what the very basic depths of her craved. As if she had no choice but to follow her instincts and let the deep link that ran through them all take over.

"I don't. . .I mean I. . ." Buffy stammered, turning her head just enough to see Faith.

She licked her lips as she tried to concentrate on what was right and wrong and not on the way Faith's groin was pressed into her backside. It was kind of difficult given the fact Faith was still making the odd rocking motion against her, searching for more contact no doubt.

Here it was; her and Faith. Faith willing to be with her, if only for one night. But there was Satsu to consider, and she really did like Satsu, and enjoy her, and felt like she was falling for her bit by bit with every time they spent together. It was a dilemma she'd never imagined being faced with.

"It's ok if she stays, Buffy," Satsu said, breaking the sudden tension.

She moved her hand down Buffy's back, running it over her backside, causing Faith to squirm a little as she also brushed against the thin material of her panties.

"If Faith wants to," Satsu continued, peering over Buffy towards Faith and catching her eyes in the dim light.

Faith raised an eyebrow, her lips parting ever so slightly as the heat in the room seemed to intensify with possibility.

"It's up to B then," Faith added, her body now holding still against Buffy's.

Buffy didn't know what to say for the best. She wanted Faith to stay, but she didn't want everything to get awkward. And she certainly didn't want to wreck any chance of at least being Faith's friend - not now most of the fighting seemed to be over between them. It was a precarious precipice they were poised upon, and the fall could be hard and nasty, or it could take them to places they'd never been to before. Good places.

She looked deep into her lover's eyes, the warm brown easing her own icy green. She could see that Satsu was okay with Faith. She could sense that Satsu was feeling the same – the connection. The link. The heat between them.

"Stay," Buffy said, a small tremble to her voice as she turned her head to catch Faith's eyes.

Faith took a deep breath, which Buffy felt against her back. There was a desire emanating from Faith that made Buffy's stomach flutter and dance. She could also feel the deep need from Satsu and she pulled her gaze away from Faith's, moving her fingers once more, causing Satsu to sigh out her name.

Without thinking anymore about the situation or the consequences, Buffy eased forwards and kissed Satsu, whispering, "Thank you" across her lips.

The almost tentative kiss quickly escalated once more and Buffy's fingers found their way between slippery folds, touching Satsu soft and slow in the teasing way she knew she liked. Faith was once again moving against her, plump breasts making Buffy dizzy with the thought of having them so close, yet still so tantalizingly concealed and out of reach.

Things were heating up out of control as Satsu began to moan at her touches, and Buffy thought it was high time they lost a few items of clothing.

"Take. . .off," Buffy instructed, punctuating words with tugging motions at Satsu's panties and top.

She helped Satsu out of her tee shirt, pulling it off over her head and throwing it to the floor as Satsu brought her hand to Buffy's face. She was smiling, completely absorbed in Buffy as she began to slide Satsu's panties down. All the moving caused Buffy to lose most of her contact with Faith, but right now she was focused on Satsu. Satsu deserved that much.

Once Buffy had Satsu naked she kissed a slick trail up her stomach. Satsu writhed under the attention, and flushed under Faith's gaze. Her nipples stiffened as Buffy flicked her tongue over them one after the other, a hand - being careful not to touch the bandaged wound on her leg - blazing a trail over the rest of her body.

Her own hands reached out to Buffy, pulling her close, finding the places she longed to hold. They had plans other than just touching, and Satsu put them to good use, sliding the material of Buffy's top upwards until it began to bunch at her bra.

"I get the idea," Buffy said with a coy smile, leaning back to pull off her tee shirt.

She glanced over at Faith and tried not to get caught up in looking, staring, and possibly drooling as she finally got to take a good look at her at least partially clothed. Faith grinned up at Buffy, her own eyes roaming over Buffy's pale skin. She felt suddenly shy as she noticed she was being scrutinized by them both, but it didn't discourage her. Buffy wanted this. She wanted them both.

Dipping her eyes away from Faith and then looking back at Satsu, she unhooked her bra and slid it off. Both Faith and Satsu seemed happy to watch, but Buffy wasn't planning on giving them a complete strip tease, so she leaned back towards Satsu and kissed her fully – their tongues flicking and sliding. Resting beside her once again with Faith at her back, she ran her fingernails over Satsu's skin, traveling between her breasts and down over her stomach. She felt Faith moving just a little so she was higher up on the pillows, her breasts still teasing Buffy, helping will her forward into the unknown.

And this was definitely the unknown.

Buffy had never been in this position before except maybe once or twice in her dreams. She'd certainly never placed herself between Faith and Satsu before, even in her imagination. Now she was cursing herself for overlooking it. She could have had many happy nights full of naughty dreams if she'd just opened her mind to the possibility sooner.

Still, she was making up for it now. And even though she didn't know exactly how far things would go, this was something that would stay with her. Not just on a sexual level, but on a slayer level. She felt the power of it coursing through her, wrapping around them all.

There was no way she wanted to stop now, and hoped both Faith and Satsu felt the same.

TBC…


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Taking her time a little more now that she was feeling more confident, Buffy made pathways over Satsu's skin with her fingers. Traveling this way and that until Satsu was shuddering for more. She kissed her long and deep, then peppered light kisses over her jaw and down her neck, enjoying the slow build up in her lover as she showed her just how much she cared.

Even though the situation sure looked like it was just about sex – given the fact that they were part way into a tentative threesome – it was about more than that. So many things gone unsaid, unfelt until their barriers could no longer hold it back, now unhindered as they shrugged off the ties that held them back. This was sex, emotion, forgiveness, acceptance, everything that should have been and should be.

Buffy was sorry for always pushing Faith away, and she was sorry for having pushed Satsu away. It was time to make up for the wrongs; put them right.

Losing herself to touching Satsu as her fingers once again slid between warm, wet folds, Buffy faltered only slightly when Faith brushed her blonde hair to the side and kissed the back of her neck. She couldn't contain the small moan of pleasure those full lips brought her as Faith continued kissing lightly. She felt her own need spilling into her panties and closed her eyes, mouth basking in the heated kiss Satsu was now giving her. Her fingers circled and slid over Satsu, finding the hard bump of her clit as Satsu began to lay back on the bed a little more, unable to now stay on her side facing Buffy.

Buffy followed just enough to keep up the movement of her fingers over slick, tender flesh, and not lose contact with Faith. Luckily Faith leaned with her, her leg sliding up over Buffy just a little way to bring them closer as she kept her lips moving over her neck and down to her shoulders.

She wanted to turn and kiss Faith; take her in her arms and just kiss the hell out of her. There would be time for that, so Buffy kept her focus. She wanted to give Satsu the pleasure she deserved after such a good fight, after such a bad injury, and after being so bold and sweet to have convinced Faith to stay with them.

Her own mouth traveled down across Satsu's collarbone, noticing that Satsu was reaching across herself for. . .for Faith's hand - Faith's hand that was now being placed on Buffy's stomach.

Satsu once again rested back, a sly little smile on her face as she watched Buffy close her eyes and enjoy having Faith touching her. She should have felt jealous of course, but there was no room for jealousy in this. No room for anything but sharing; giving and taking and seeking out the places within each other that they held tight to their chests with everybody else. Satsu was happy to share this with Buffy. She wanted to. And she knew that Buffy was still there with her, for her. There was no mistaking what was in Buffy's eyes as she finally opened them to look at Satsu. No mistaking the way her fingers graced her body, and her pussy as it spilled its need for Buffy.

"Ahh," Satsu gasped as Buffy slid her fingers harder over her. "Don't stop."

She was close already. Love, exhaustion, need all rolling Satsu up into a tight ball ready to spin out of control.

Buffy placed hasty kisses on Satsu's lips as she began to breathe heavier and faster. She soon moved back to the perky breasts that had graced a lot of her fantasies lately; sucking, licking, and groaning as Faith's hand spread wide over her stomach. It didn't stay there long, and Buffy's brain made a small squealing sound as she watched Faith's hand now travel over Satsu.

"Fuck," Satsu sighed as Faith's hand reached the breast Buffy wasn't busy sucking on.

Satsu arched into the touch and spread her legs wider for Buffy. This was crazy, but it was hot, and there was no way Satsu was about to start feeling guilty for wanting it. She hoped Buffy felt the same, and in order to show her - mostly - that it was ok for them to all be in it together, Satsu reached around Buffy once more, and grabbed on to Faith's shoulder, pulling her forwards.

Luckily Buffy had decided on kissing over Satsu's stomach now, pushing down the covers, leaving room for Faith to get closer to Satsu. They were kissing deep and hard before either girl had chance to pause and ask if Buffy would mind.

Buffy didn't mind. She glanced up towards them, watching them kiss – tongues dipping and twisting - as Faith pulled hard at Satsu's eager nipple. It was hot. Hot and. . .fuck it, she had to tell them.

"God, that's hot," Buffy breathed out lustily before licking Satsu's stomach and sliding a finger deep into her waiting pussy.

"Oh, fuck," Satsu groaned loudly, pulling her lips away from Faith's. "Hai!"

Pushing in and out of Satsu, Buffy grinned up at Faith as Faith watched her – dark eyes glowing with flecks of fire.

Satsu's head was now thrown back, and Buffy kissed her way back up to her face, placing herself between Faith and Satsu once again – not that she was trying to keep them apart. She wanted to make her lover come, and she wanted to be there to look into her eyes, and kiss her. Watching Faith and Satsu get better acquainted could come later, and despite the fact a small part of her thought it was weird to want that, a bigger part of her told her it was sexy as hell. Especially given the fact she could jump in anytime and have both of them. If that's the way it went, which she hoped it would.

"Buffy," Satsu gasped, repeating her name as Buffy gave her what she needed.

Sliding her sodden fingers from Satsu's wet pussy, she concentrated her efforts on her clit, slipping hard, fast, fingers deftly bringing her to orgasm. She swept her eyes over Satsu, always amazed at her beauty and the perfection of her skin. And now, she was entranced by Faith's hand as it cupped her lover's breast and toyed with her nipple as her body moved tightly against Buffy's.

It didn't take long before the end was near. Satsu couldn't hold it in any longer. Almost completely beat after the days events, she allowed herself to let go.

"Oh, fuck!" Satsu cried out, body trembling as the rush came.

She grabbed onto Buffy with one hand as the other dug into the mattress, body convulsing into orgasm before finally falling back to the bed.

Buffy smiled warmly down at Satsu, leaning forwards and kissing over her forehead, allowing her to breathe deeply as she gathered herself up from the freefall. She waited for Faith to slide her hand down to rest on Satsu's stomach before removing her own from between Satsu's legs. She gently cupped her now sticky pussy before trailing her fingers up to Faith's hand, laying it partially on top of it on Satsu.

"That was. . .hmmm," Satsu hummed in pleasure, surprised at how sated she already felt.

The day had obviously taken its toll on her, and she felt suddenly limp and floaty.

"I vote we do it again," Faith said with a devilish grin as her hand began to dawdle its way downwards over Satsu.

Buffy chuckled, and ran her own hand up Faith's wandering arm as it looped over her, stopping at the eager flex of a strong bicep.

"Be my guest," she added with her own little grin, watching Satsu's face as she looked up at them both.

"Whoa, slow down," Satsu interjected, finding herself smiling despite her now drowsy state. "Little wiped here. Blood loss. Too much excitement. You know how it is."

"Guess I'm gonna have to occupy my hands some other way then," Faith drawled, the tone of her voice dropping as she spoke into Buffy's ear.

Before Buffy quite realized what she meant, she felt Faith's hand at the waistband of her shorts. She was pushing down – a thumb hooked daringly under the tight elastic. It took Buffy's breath away just a little.

"Faith, I. . ." She didn't know if she could do this.

She wanted to – oh boy did she want to – but there was a lot at stake. Her eyes met Satsu's; questioning maybe. Asking for guidance probably.

"It's ok," Satsu told her softly, a hand stroking over Buffy's cheek before she leaned up and kissed her. "Just let go. Enjoy."

It sounded so simple, but was it? Buffy guessed that only trying could really answer that.

Taking a steadying breath, Buffy turned more on to her back, making sure to stay close to Satsu. Her eyes soon found themselves drifting towards Faith's, lips trembling for contact; expectant with emotion and years of wanting. Satsu turned back on her side facing Buffy to her left, running a soothing hand across the flaming skin of her thigh. Faith's thumb was still poised, ready to tug down the last thing keeping her barricaded. She found herself swimming in Faith's brown eyes; pools of enticement that seemed to be getting closer.

Heart fluttering in her chest she raised her hand, brushing uncertain fingers over Faith's torso as Faith moved just enough to be almost completely above her. She was still to Buffy's side but she was now braced on her elbow. Buffy decided right then and there that the place just above Faith's hip at her side was as sexy as Satsu's; all hard slayer-muscle, yet soft, feminine skin. Her thumb stroked over Faith slowly and Faith's breasts heaved almost out of her small bra with the breath she took.

Faith looked like she wanted to eat Buffy alive, and right now she was happy to be her snack, or full-on three course meal – whatever Faith preferred. Buffy felt charged all over, and she tingled from head to foot as Faith's gaze swept over her, and then over Satsu.

"We could do with a little more naked here," Faith stated, her eyes gleaming as much as her teeth as she grinned, all confidence and instinct as she wasted no more time in getting Buffy out of her shorts.

There was no point in challenging her; Buffy wanted out of her shorts and panties too. They were beginning to get a little hot and sticky.

Lifting her ass from the mattress, Buffy bit her lower lip as Faith used both hands to drag down the remainder of her clothing. She wasn't sure if she was holding her breath, but everything was starting to get wobbly. There was probably a lack of oxygen going to her brain, and Faith wasn't making things easier as she slid the material unhurriedly from her slender legs. The feeling of being completely exposed crashed upon Buffy, but even though she was sure she was blushing, she didn't care. She felt good. She felt alive as Faith locked eyes with her and lowered her head to kiss her stomach.

"Ok, that's. . .good," Buffy mumbled breathlessly, watching Faith kiss her way lazily up her now tense stomach.

Buffy reached out with one hand towards Satsu, gripping her as if she were her anchor as she placed loving kisses over Buffy's shoulder. Her other hand instinctively headed toward Faith; fingers disappearing into long, lush brown hair. A tremble ran through Buffy as Faith's warm, wet tongue licked at her over the faint ripple of muscle just under her ribcage. She wondered if it was possible to come without even being touched because if Faith kept her eyes locked on her in that way, her tongue and mouth taking their time to taste the small beads of sweat beginning to roll off Buffy's body. . .well, she was certainly going to find out.

"I need to. . .to kiss you, Faith," Buffy stammered, her eyes almost rolling into the back of her head as Satsu's nails scratched a tormenting path up her inner thigh and Faith's tongue reached the underside of her breast.

She could feel her body reacting in overdrive; years of pent up lust easing its way out. Years of holding back – of holding the power and compulsion of the slayer within her back – making her skin burn and sizzle in the heat, and her pussy spill its desperate desire between her legs. Just like Satsu said, she needed to let go. This meant more than what was obvious. This was more than what they knew.

Buffy gasped, holding in a silent moan as Faith's lips nipped and sucked at the fleshy part of her breast; not yet reaching her achingly stiff, little pink nipple. Her fingers flexed in Faith's hair, pushing against her skull as she tried but failed not to convey her wishes.

"Gettin' there, Twinkie," Faith drawled, hot breath pouring over Buffy.

She flicked her eyes down to Buffy's breasts and licked her full lips before placing a painfully light kiss right where Buffy needed her most.

This time Buffy couldn't hold back the groan that flew from her open mouth. "Fuck," she sighed. "Just. . .I need you to. . ." Her body was on fire. She'd just made her lover come, and she was surrounded by hot, naked flesh and boobs, and the smell of sex and girl and she seriously needed Faith to just "suck on me."

Faith's eyes grew as black as the night outside, nostrils flaring aggressively before her lips closed around Buffy. She sucked hard - almost too hard. Buffy arched into Faith, fingers digging into her head, her other hand holding onto Satsu firmly as Satsu pressed against the length of her. She'd experienced colors shooting around her mind with Satsu plenty of times, and now it was Faith's turn to send her on a magical Crayola ride.

"Oh you're so getting fucked," Buffy gasped as Faith flicked her tongue ruthlessly over her other nipple.

She hadn't exactly meant for that to come out in actual words, but the low, sexy rumble of a moan it sent through Faith was worth sounding completely wanton for.

Faith scraped her teeth over Buffy before ripping her lips away and quickly moving up so they were face to face, body pressing down on Buffy – thigh between Buffy's legs. The fast action took Buffy a little by surprise, but she hid it well. . .she thought. Only a small squeal had squeaked out.

"Yeah?" Faith asked, hovering over Buffy, her eyes looking as dangerous as her voice sounded. "Maybe we should give Satsu a turn first before I let you."

She glanced over at Satsu, causing her dark hair to tumble over Buffy's face just a little. It took Buffy a second to stop enjoying the silky feel of it to focus on what Faith was suggesting.

Buffy didn't want to wait. She wanted to touch Faith. Satsu could have her turn later.

"But I. . ." Buffy stalled, flustered as Faith undulated against her, causing Buffy's juices to spill onto Faith's powerful thigh as she slid against her now spread pussy.

That did it. Her patience was wearing thin and she was almost about to just flip Faith over and take her, but Satsu saved her the trouble.

"As much as I want to, Faith," Satsu began, appreciative eyes roaming over Faith's body, "I don't think I have the energy right now."

It was true, Satsu felt weaker than she wanted; her body still trying to mend itself under the tight bandages and colorful bruises. That didn't mean she would sit back and let all the fun happen without her, but she was in no position to give Faith her all just yet. She was happy for Buffy to have her fun. It was enough for now just getting to watch what was unfolding in front of her. The desire was rolling off both Faith and Buffy; an almost tangible aura of sexuality and lust that had been suppressed for far too long. It was remarkable, and intoxicating.

"See," Buffy whined. "So you should just. . ."

Her words were cut short as Faith raised a hand to her cheek, thumb brushing over Buffy's lips as she gazed down at her. The mischievous glint was still in Faith's eyes, but Buffy was in no doubt that Faith was just being. . .Faith. This was her. This was who Buffy had always secretly wanted.

They said no more as Faith removed her thumb so that her lips could capture Buffy's.

Mouths moving slowly but surely together, they kissed as if it wasn't the first time. Hushed moans escaped them both, however, betraying the outward confidence and composure they exuded. Buffy allowed Faith to lead the kiss, willingly giving her lips to Faith as she sucked and teased. Though they began slowly enough, the pace soon picked up, tongues peeking out to dip and taste. Mouths opening wider, kissing harder. Hunger whipped them back to moving against one another, and Buffy could no longer allow Faith to remain clothed. She needed to feel more.

Sliding both her hands around Faith's lower back, she spread her fingers out and swept upwards until she hit the material that was getting in the way of feeling Faith fully against her. She didn't wait for permission before unsnapping the bra and slipping it down Faith's arms, grateful that Faith did her part and shrugged it to the floor without hesitation.

She was back on Buffy quicker than Buffy could stop her in order to remove her panties, but she temporarily forgave her as soft breasts smooshed against her own.

"Fuck, you feel good," Faith murmured over Buffy's lips before kissing her fiercely.

Their nipples strained stiffly against each other, teasing and tantalizing as their hardness jarred and rubbed with Faith's movements. Buffy was faintly aware of Satsu's hand making patterns over her skin as she touched her everywhere that Faith wasn't, but her mind was a blur of raunchy thought and image as she scraped her nails down Faith's back towards the panties she needed gone.

Hesitating for just a second as she asked herself if she was certain if this was the best thing to do, Buffy slid just the tips of her fingers under the waistband of Faith's underwear. With her mouth pressed against Buffy's as they kissed, she could feel the smile on Faith's lips. It was small, but it was there. It left Buffy with no doubts. She began to shove the thin material off Faith's firm backside, heart pounding as Faith lifted up for her. Together they managed to rid Faith of them, breaking the kiss only momentarily before Faith was back at Buffy's lips; breaths hot and hard, mouths hungry and passionate.

Faith pushed down into Buffy, pulling her mouth away to take a sharp breath as her pussy rubbed over Buffy's thigh as Buffy's did the same in turn. The closest they'd ever been. Open and wet for each other. Nothing to stop them taking what they'd always wanted as naked flesh blazed and bumped, coating each other in the lust between them.

"Faith," Buffy breathed shakily, unable to form any more words than that.

Luckily words weren't necessary, only feeling, touching, just being. She closed her eyes as Faith rubbed their noses together before kissing Buffy passionately again. Buffy could no longer wait; her hands needed Faith, her fingers pleading for the kind of touching that she'd always tried to convince herself she didn't want.

Trailing her hands up and down Faith's sides, she immersed herself in the kiss and the heat, stomach tying in knots with every little sigh she got out of Faith. When Faith lifted up just enough for Buffy to move a hand between them, she was rewarded by a sexy growl as her fingers inched over a curvaceous breast. Buffy only realized Faith was touching her in the same way when she felt her nipple tingling under Faith's eager attention. Breathing heavily into Faith's mouth, Buffy smiled all the way inside as she felt Faith's dusky nipple respond instantly as she groped, toyed, teased and twisted.

All she could think of was placing her mouth around Faith's breast, but as she pushed up a little against Faith in order to flip her over so she could travel over her more freely, Buffy realized she wasn't about to get her way. Faith grinned against her mouth and pulled back enough to look into Buffy's eyes. But Buffy knew what she wanted, and she wasn't about to be denied it.

She ignored Faith's raised eyebrow as she quickly scooted downwards just enough to be face to face with Faith's breasts. They were quite impressive, and for a moment Buffy wasn't sure if she'd made the right choice. Satsu was less endowed, and she was used to Satsu not Faith. She didn't want to do anything that wasn't good for Faith. She'd just have to do her best and by the sounds of it, it was working as she nuzzled her nose and cheek against heated flesh, just feeling the weight of Faith's breasts.

Faith's skin smelled like wanting, and strawberries. She hadn't expected strawberries, it seemed too girly. But Faith was definitely all girl. All breathy sighs and tense muscles too as Buffy finally took a delicious looking nipple between her lips and kissed and sucked. Her tongue rolled around it, tasted and tormented Faith while her hand furtively found its way between Faith's thighs. They were falling open expectantly above her as Buffy distracted Faith with her mouth. She smiled into Faith, eyes flicking up to watch her face as she sucked on as much of her as she could.

With her eyes fluttering closed, Faith licked her lips and gulped in a large lungful of air as Buffy's fingers crept over short, dark curls. Buffy had thought Faith would have stopped her by now so she could take charge, but she was obviously too wrapped up in what she was feeling.

"Fuck. . .B," Faith gasped as Buffy's fingertips spread her folds and slipped slowly over her dripping pussy.

Buffy groaned in appreciation with the amount of fluid she felt coating her fingers. She couldn't quite believe she was sliding around in Faith's arousal - fingers learning the most intimate part of the girl who had once been her enemy - but it felt all kinds of good. All kinds of perfect and right, and all those things she felt but couldn't put into words.

Licking and nibbling her way back up to Faith's lips, Buffy swirled her fingers over a solid clit that swelled to her touch. It wasn't long before Faith was rocking her hips against Buffy's hand and moaning in a seriously sexy way. In fact, she was also moaning all girly too, and it made Buffy's heart dance in her chest.

Faith was completely lost to her touch, eyes closed, her own hands halting in their free-roam and now just gripping onto Buffy as her body moved to the rhythm she set. Buffy glanced over to Satsu to see that she was also watching Faith freely yield to the pleasure Buffy was giving her. Satsu had a naughty grin gracing her lips, and her dark eyes swept over both Faith and Buffy as she kept as close to Buffy as she could possibly get, hand still drifting over her lover on a languorous journey.

Feeling surrounded by hotness, and strangely – or maybe not so strangely – by companionship and love in all its forms, Buffy tried her best to concentrate on Faith's clit. She could tell Faith was surprisingly already close, and rather than want to tease her Buffy wanted to make her come so she could do it all over again.

She turned back to Faith and sped up her movements, in awe of Faith's beauty as she hung over her, completely entranced by what Buffy was doing to her.

"Jesus, Buffy," Faith gasped, breathless and trembling. "I'm gonna. . .fuck!"

Buffy grinned, fingertip pressing hard against Faith's clit as she held her own breath, listening to Faith's every sigh and moan.

"Come, Faith," she implored, pushing up and holding Faith at the hip with her other hand as she felt a satisfying, warm trickle of liquid spill over the fingers entrenched in Faith's pussy.

Each little quake and gasp was hotter than the last and with a quick flick of her fingers, Buffy felt the tension reach a peak.

"Oh fuck, B!" Faith groaned loudly as fingernails dug into Buffy, clinging and shuddering.

Faith's lithe body tensed, eyes trying to focus on Buffy's. She came hard and fast with a look of surprise on her face that Buffy fell completely in love with.

"Fuck," was Faith's final breathy word as she clattered to a quivering mess, covering Buffy's hand in the sticky admission of her body's surrender.

Keeping her fingers moving, but slowing, Buffy allowed Faith to rest down on her, forehead to forehead. She lightly brushed her lips over Faith's, feeling the warmth of her breaths as her body twitched and relaxed. Faith kissed back clumsily, sumptuous lips just resting on Buffy's, barely moving yet conveying the deep desire for each other they had.

Gradually, Buffy removed her fingers from the stickiness between Faith's legs, licking her lips as she wondered what she would taste like. Something told her she'd find out soon enough, but for now she just wanted to hold onto Faith for a few moments of contented peace.

"Damn," Faith sighed, pulling away from Buffy slightly, a bit sooner than Buffy wanted. "That was. . .embarrassing."

Buffy gave her a puzzled expression and Satsu chuckled a little beside her.

"Embarrassing?" Buffy asked uneasily, searching Faith's eyes with her own. "Was I bad?"

Faith looked at her comically and shook her head slowly.

"Not what I meant, Twink," she drawled, her body slumping just a little more to Buffy's side as she finally caught her breath. "I meant me. I've never. . .I don't usually. . ."

It might have been the light, but Buffy was almost sure Faith was blushing. She didn't understand. Faith had come – pretty damn sexily, all shuddery above her. She didn't know what the problem was.

"Huh?" Buffy muttered, eyebrows scrunching together.

Again Satsu chuckled and Buffy gave her an equally puzzled look.

"B," Faith said, sounding a bit wary, "you fuckin' slayed me. Never came that quick before and it's kinda mortifying."

"Oh!" Buffy responded, eyes wide.

Her eyes didn't stay wide for long as she smiled all big and proud. There she was thinking she wouldn't be good enough, but she'd popped Faith's cork without hardly even breaking a sweat.

"You just," Faith stuttered, "ya got me all worked up. Both of ya in fact."

There was that slight hint of pink at her cheeks again that made Buffy want to grab her and squeeze tight. She didn't grab her, settling on just smiling warmly instead and kissing Faith softly on the lips.

Buffy tried to hide the smugness she felt, but it was there inside her. Buffy the Faith Slayer – it had a nice ring to it.

TBC…


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

While Buffy was basking in kissing Faith - open mouthed, slow kisses with tongues twisting and lips pressing and grasping – she forgot about all that could be wrong with the situation. It didn't feel wrong. Far from it. The way Satsu was touching her, and Faith kissing her felt like the most kind of right she'd ever felt. They shared a link nobody could understand – especially the one between her and Faith. Even with Satsu it had always felt stronger, more alive. They were bonded on a level that transcended normal codes of conduct, and only now was Buffy realizing it and relinquishing to it.

"Is it just me," Buffy began, reluctantly pulling away from Faith's lips, "or does this seem totally ok and not weird at all?" she asked.

A slight grin eased across Faith's lips as she glanced between Satsu and Buffy.

"Kinda weird," Faith responded, leaning forward past Buffy until her lips were now on Satsu's, "but definitely ok."

Satsu nodded into the kiss, completely agreeing. She didn't care how it appeared to the rational side of her, this wasn't about rationality. This was about the deep need in them all. The desire. The understanding that they all wanted the same things, even if they didn't fully understand how much they wanted, or how much they loved. It was clear to her that there was no going back.

Her lips toyed with Faith's as Buffy lay beneath them watching, her eyes dark and hands sliding over them both. Satsu felt complete, happy, at ease with how much was happening that seemed implausible only hours before. She couldn't help but smile, causing Faith to smile with her before she left Faith's lips with a wet smack and lowered her head to kiss Buffy.

The kissing wasn't quite the same, Faith being more of a take-charge kind of girl than Buffy, but they were both just as good in their own way even though Satsu had more emotion invested in Buffy. The difference was good; tough then delicate, confidence then modesty. Two people more alike than they knew, but more different than was easily quantifiable. So Buffy and Faith. So good being close to them both as they let down their walls and defenses.

Satsu flicked her tongue over Buffy's top lip, her hand trailing over her smooth skin in search of the small sighs she loved. It wasn't long before she got exactly what she wanted as Buffy reacted with quicker breaths and moans into her mouth. Fingers teasing circles over Buffy's breasts and nipples, Satsu felt Buffy melt and crumble not only to her touch but also to Faith's lips as they traveled over Buffy in her wake.

She was happy to let Faith take the lead. She knew Buffy needed it, and Faith wanted it. There was no standing in front of the speeding train as it juddered down the tracks; Satsu would hold on and enjoy contributing to the ride, but she didn't want to be stood in the way. Her kisses moved down to Buffy's neck, hands leaving room for Faith to take over.

Buffy made the unmistakable sound of a girl being assaulted by pleasure as she lifted her chin to allow Satsu to suck lightly on her neck, and shifted her legs apart for Faith's hand as it swept up the inside of her thigh. Her mind was barraged with flashes of doubt, but she ignored it and concentrated on how she felt and not what she thought. Thinking had never proved all that successful when it came to Faith. Thinking had also pushed Satsu pretty much out of her life – until she'd found a way back in. It was time to stop thinking.

Moving her arm to snake it around Faith's back, Buffy subtly pulled her closer, giving herself to the kisses Faith placed over her breasts. She wanted to reach out and touch her again, make her come again, but it was a little difficult moving with Faith's mouth and tongue turning her to jello, and Satsu's roaming fingers keeping her on her back. It was clear she was expected to let them do what they wanted to her. Buffy couldn't find a convincing argument against that.

She licked her lips in anticipation of feeling Faith's fingers where she wanted them most, but Faith was taking her time. Both Satsu and Faith were now at her breasts, sucking and licking and driving her wild with need. Her pussy was leaking onto the insides of her thighs as it pleaded for attention. The cool air cutting through the heat in the bedroom that was now blowing gently through the window wasn't helping as it whispered over Buffy's exposed state. She felt it fluttering over her pussy like delicate fingertips. She wanted to clamp her legs together in order to relieve some of the tension, but Faith's strong hand on her thigh kept her still, open, waiting.

Groaning in both contentment and frustration, Buffy arched into the mouths now sucking hard on her painfully erect nipples. She almost felt like moving her own hand between her legs, but that would be silly given the fact she had the choice of two gorgeous girls who would be willing to help her out – once they were done teasing the life out of her.

"Ok," Buffy gasped, trying to speak though her body was on fire and already trembling in places she never knew she even had, "somebody really needs to touch me now."

Faith raised her head, her deep dimples making the already stunning girl even more attractive as she grinned at Buffy. Licking her lips, she looked into Buffy's eyes before the hand on her inner thigh began a slow and torturous journey.

"Where do ya wanna be touched, B?" Faith asked, raising an eyebrow in challenge.

As if she didn't know? It was obvious. Buffy's legs were spread, the air full of her scent as she moved her hips in a subtle motion to indicate her need. She knew what Faith wanted. She could see the need to hear it in her deep, dark eyes. And as embarrassing as it was to say the words, Buffy knew she had to. Faith needed to hear it. She needed to be sure despite her outward confidence.

"I want. . ." Buffy faltered, her chest suddenly feeling full of air, heart tightening in her chest.

Like Faith, she knew exactly what she wanted. She knew asking for it would exclude Satsu just a little, but she was sure she could make it up to her, and somehow she was sure that Satsu would understand. Glancing towards her lover, she saw that understanding as plain as day on her face.

"Don't hold back," Satsu whispered before lowering her head again to brush soft kisses over Buffy's neck.

Buffy smiled and felt the assurance well inside her, filling out her confidence. She tangled her fingers into the lush hair draping down Faith's back, and gazed up into her eyes.

"I want you, Faith," she said, every word full of a deeper meaning. "I want you to touch me. Make love to me."

She held her breath and Faith gave her a slightly puzzled look at her last words. She seemed suddenly apprehensive and Buffy definitely didn't want that.

Chuckling at the adorable look on Faith's face she corrected herself to put her at ease. "Fuck me," Buffy instructed; eyes all big and full of longing. She slid her tongue over her upper lip to lick away the sudden dryness and asked again to make sure she got what she wanted. "I want you to fuck me, Faith."

Her tone was hushed and huskier than normal, and Faith's eyes grew even darker as her fingernails dug into Buffy a little at her thigh. She didn't answer with words right away, choosing to take action instead in the way Buffy was used to. In the way Buffy secretly loved.

Faith ran her hand higher and kissed Buffy with an intensity that almost made her straight blonde hair curl into ringlets. She was breathing hard by the time Faith pulled away and slid her fingers that little bit higher.

"Always wanted to fuck you," Faith said; a quiet whisper over Buffy's skin as she lowered her head to kiss over her chest.

Buffy could only sigh and cling to Faith as her fingers slipped between her folds. She took a sharp breath and quivered to the touch; watching as Faith began to toy and play with her pussy. It felt like she'd never been touched before, her need so strong and the build up so divine. Every swipe over her clit made her moan in appreciation. Every flick of Faith's tongue over her nipple making her stomach twist and tense. Buffy doubted it would take much more to send her over the edge, even if she wanted to hold it off for as long as she could just to enjoy what was being done to her.

"Oh, that's good," Buffy moaned as Satsu nibbled on her nipple and Faith rubbed over her clit just a bit harder.

Her hand stayed entwined in Faith's hair as Faith began to kiss downwards. Buffy didn't know if her butterflies could stand the pace if Faith kept going, but down she went until her mouth was placing hot trails over the small crop of blonde between her legs.

"Fuck," she gasped with a shudder when Faith's tongue deftly replaced her fingers on her swollen clit.

Buffy closed her eyes and tipped her head back, trying to breathe without passing out as Faith's tongue licked and circled and explored. She was definitely talented – not that Satsu wasn't talented too, but Faith. . .well she was obviously born to do this. Her fingers dug into Faith's scalp, other hand finding Satsu beside her and connecting them as she gave herself fully to the bond they were sharing. Breathy moans and sighs fluttered into the air from Buffy and her hips moved in time to the probing tongue that seemed to know exactly where it was needed.

She couldn't think of a better place to be, and let out a particularly wanton moan as Faith slipped her tongue lower between her folds, pushing it deep into her tight hole. She felt Faith lifting her slightly as she moved her arms under her thighs, opening Buffy up to her as she filled the room with sticky wet noises; plunging in and out of her pussy.

"Oh. . .Faith," Buffy spluttered before biting on her lip, her body tensing in readiness to spill her orgasm into Faith's mouth.

Her stomach muscles tightened and she let out a small squeal as she felt Satsu's hand travel over her towards her pussy to join Faith. She dipped into the sticky heat just far enough to rub over her clit as Faith's hands held Buffy firmly around the waist.

"Oh, God," Buffy blurted. "I'm gonna come so hard."

She licked her lips and rocked her hips towards Faith's tongue as it filled her pussy. Faith sped up her movements, flicking her tongue inside Buffy and then pushing it as deep as she could; spilling her juices out with every thrust. It felt amazing, and coupled with Satsu's finger now rubbing vigorously over her hard and sensitive clit, Buffy couldn't hold on any longer. She was unraveling at breakneck speed; her body trembling and mind fraying at the edges. She felt like the world was shaking beneath her, but it was just her own body shuddering and jerking as it peaked for release.

"Oh fu. . .oh fu. . .oh fuck!" Buffy cried as she pushed up into Faith one last time, flooding her mouth with her come.

Faith's appreciative moan rumbled inside her, and she felt wave after wave crash over her as she held firm to the orgasm that had her breathing loud cries into the air. She felt herself rocked from the edge once more as Satsu pressed firmly against her clit and Faith lapped at her sodden entrance.

All she could do was hang on and moan out the names that were engraved into her heart as salty tears ran down her cheeks to the pillow.

"Oh fuck," Buffy gasped again; trembles slowly subsiding though her pussy clung to Faith's tongue as it wriggled inside. "Oh fuck, I love you," she let slip, nuzzling her nose into Satsu's hair as Satsu held herself close.

The tears she didn't mean to shed fell faster, her hands gripping tight to both girls as her heart swelled and ached for acceptance. She wasn't sure who she'd said the words to, and she wasn't dazed enough not to realize she'd better make it clear. She didn't want this to turn bad – this was too good to turn bad.

Letting out a shaky sigh as Faith pulled her tongue from her pussy and licked over her, she looked into Satsu's eyes; there was a slight hint of worry in the beautiful brown eyes of her lover, but she knew she had to be honest. She knew she had to be honest to them both.

Buffy rubbed her nose against Satsu's before placing a soft kiss on her lips and pulling back. She smiled gently and stroked her hand down Faith's back as Faith began to move up beside her. This could get awkward, and Buffy definitely didn't want awkwardness after that. Not after what she'd just felt, because not only had she just come hard and loud, but she'd also fallen completely in love with Satsu, and her heart had also finally fully accepted that it was crazy in love with Faith. Yeah, it was complicated, but it just was. She couldn't help the way she felt.

"I love you, Satsu," Buffy whispered, kissing over Satsu's face as she laid her head beside Buffy.

She watched a lone tear travel across Satsu's cheek as she leaned back, but she wasn't done yet.

"I love you both," Buffy admitted hurriedly, her voice trembling with emotion, her own tears spilling freely as she fought back a sob.

There was so much emotion inside her it almost felt like she couldn't breathe, and the tender smile that Satsu gave her roared right though her like a wildfire. No matter how Faith reacted now, at least she still had Satsu. She could see that much. She could feel that much in the touch of a caring hand as Satsu wiped away Buffy's tears and then held it over her heart.

Tugging her eyes away from Satsu, she glanced over at Faith who was now looking at her intently, confusion and apprehension etched into her face. Buffy smiled and almost laughed a little at Faith's uneasiness, but she held it in as she reached out and stroked Faith's cheek with her hand as Faith leant over her slightly.

"It's ok, Faith," she lulled. "I'm not expecting anything, I just. . .I feel it. I always feel it."

Faith furrowed her brow briefly, a war raging inside her. Buffy didn't want a war, didn't want anything back other than a peace between them.

She gently rubbed her thumb over Faith's temple and encouraged Faith down to her lips as she lifted her head to meet her. They kissed soft, slow, accepting what wasn't said and what probably never would be. Buffy could taste herself on Faith's lips, and she melted inside – the memory of Faith's tongue making her twitch for more.

They didn't kiss long, though Buffy would have been happy enough to keep it going, and anything else that might arise. She could feel Satsu growing heavy with sleep as she rested slightly on Buffy at her side, so ignoring the desire to ravish Faith and then Satsu in turn for the rest of the night she bent down and pulled the blanket up over them. She wiped at her face to rid the stain of tears before lying back down between Satsu and Faith - curling an arm around Faith and pulling Satsu's leg up over her own just a bit before there could be any protest.

Her body was buzzing – slayer induced on more than one level. She felt alive yet relaxed. She wasn't going to worry about tomorrow, nor about what she'd said. They were in this together, even if they never ended up in quite the same situation again. They all shared something deep. A love that spread itself over them, sticking to them like treacle and not letting them go. There was no use struggling out of it. She'd struggled enough – with both Satsu and Faith – and it was time to lay back and accept defeat.

Satsu snuggled into Buffy's side as she lay back down beside her. She was tired, but happy. Buffy had told her she loved her and her heart was singing. So there was the small matter of Buffy also loving Faith – it didn't matter, she had what she wanted. She had Buffy no matter what. She was in Buffy's heart.

"Thank you," Satsu said quietly into Buffy's ear as she already felt the depths of sleep begin to pull her down.

Buffy nodded and placed a sweet kiss on her forehead, clutching Satsu's hand in her own over her stomach as she kept her position on her back. Buffy's other arm remained wrapped around Faith, and Faith didn't seem to be minding, though she still looked somewhat puzzled as she gazed at Buffy.

Smiling, unable to hold back what she felt anymore, Buffy eased her hand over Faith's back, just enjoying the warmth of her skin. She loved Faith, and she was happy that Faith now knew it.

"It's ok," Buffy said, almost a whisper.

Faith looked down between them, her frown disappearing just a bit before she glanced back up. Her dark eyes still held an aura of anxiety, but they were warmer than usual, speaking right to Buffy's heart. She looked like she wanted to say something but the words were stuck, or too afraid to come out. Maybe Faith didn't trust in what Buffy had said, considering she'd said it just after coming in her mouth. That was ok; Buffy could wait for it to sink in.

"Sleep, Faith," she said, pulling Faith closer and encouraging her to relax and lay down properly next to her.

Faith raised an eyebrow but said nothing, unusually quiet as she rested down; slowly, subtly moving her head on to Buffy's shoulder. Buffy took a deep breath, trying to calm herself as Satsu warmed one side of her and Faith made her stomach flutter and tighten as she laid down her walls for just a while. Faith's head now snuggled on Buffy's shoulder, eyes closing – it was almost too perfect.

She hoped it all wouldn't come crashing down on her by the morning.

* * *

The light coming through the window snuck between Buffy's eyelids as the day taunted her awake, but it wasn't the light that had woken her. . .it was the fact she could no longer feel Faith beside her.

Faith had stayed next to Buffy all night. Buffy had watched her fall asleep; watched both Faith and Satsu. Faith had barely moved, her body keeping pressed into Buffy, head resting on her as her thick, dark hair spread over Buffy like a blanket. It had been so nice, more than nice. Buffy's cheeks hurt from smiling so much to herself, but she should have known that Faith wouldn't stick around for any kind of emotional heart to heart the next day. She couldn't blame her, it's just who she was.

Buffy had hoped things would be ok when – sometime earlier - she had turned to face Satsu and Faith had wrapped around her from behind. The sensation of having Faith's naked body pressed behind her, and Satsu's at her front had made the sticky heat bearable. It had made her feel loved, and safe.

Slowly she opened her eyes, blinking as the day washed over her. There was a sound close to the door and she lifted her head to look. It was Faith, zipping up her jeans and fastening her belt. She was dressed, though her hair still looked mussed – which was kind of cute.

"Hey," Buffy spoke softly, catching Faith's eyes.

Faith nodded and smiled. Not a big smile. Not a smile that made Buffy think she would bound back over to the bed and cover her in girly kisses as she giggled and declared her undying love. But at least it was a smile.

Making a gesture that appeared to mean she was leaving, Faith gave Buffy another nod. Obviously Buffy wasn't quite used to the subtle nod-speak Faith was choosing to communicate with, but she got the idea. Faith was indeed leaving.

"Wait," Buffy requested quietly, not wishing to wake the slumbering slayer next to her.

Thankfully Faith didn't rush off and ignore Buffy. She dug her hands into her pockets as Buffy pushed off the covers, holding in the urge to blush as Faith watched her – she was naked after all.

Faith gave her an appreciative wiggle of her eyebrows; a smug grin tickling at her lips as Buffy reached for her robe. Buffy wrapped it around herself as she got out of bed, noticing how Faith licked her lips and ogled her like she wanted to eat her – again.

"Perv," Buffy joked, closing the robe slower than what she normally would as she enjoyed Faith's attention.

"Pot, kettle," Faith countered, pointing at them both in turn.

They both smiled, Buffy more shyly as the nights events played in slow motion in her mind. But she couldn't allow those thoughts to distract her from what could be a tricky situation. She took a glance at Satsu as she slept tangled in the sheets; looking so sweet and calm and making Buffy feel protective of her. She didn't want to wake her or have her witness what could be a deeply personal conversation – if Faith didn't just turn and run.

"Can we talk outside?" Buffy asked, moving towards the door. "I won't keep you long."

Faith nodded once again and Buffy pulled open the door, standing out in the rather drafty corridor as Faith joined her. There was an awkward silence, but Buffy tried not to let it taint what she wanted to say. She was under no illusions. She didn't think Faith would suddenly change. She didn't even know what she wanted or expected, but they couldn't just leave it without saying anything, she knew that much.

"So," Buffy began, stalling before going any further as Faith stepped close to her.

She almost trembled as Faith raised her hand and slid her fingers down the opening to her robe, causing it to fall open just a little further. Faith didn't pull her hand back right away, brushing the side of Buffy's breast with the back of her knuckles. Their eyes gazed deep into each other and Buffy wasn't sure what she should do or say. She'd never seen Faith looking so open.

"You know I'm not cut out to be any kinda girlfriend, right?" Faith finally asked, lowering her hand and leaving Buffy's skin crying out for her touch.

"I know," Buffy answered.

She did know, and that's not what she was expecting. They hadn't exactly entered into things with a plan. She hadn't told Faith she loved her with any kind of hope for the future.

"Like I said last night, I'm not expecting anything," Buffy continued, taking a chance and finding Faith's hand with her own; holding it loosely between them. She had to say more. She wanted to say more. "But I'm here. . .for you," she added.

Faith's eyebrows knitted together but it seemed like she was happy with that.

"You've got a great girl there," Faith said, jerking her head towards the door to the bedroom that was slightly ajar. "She'll give you everything you need. She obviously loves you a whole lot."

"So do you," Buffy said, a sly grin on her lips as she looked up at Faith through her eyelashes.

Though Faith hadn't said it, she felt it. It was just there. Just out of reach but burning strong; entwined in the connection they'd always shared.

Faith chuckled and raised her free hand to Buffy's face; surprisingly soft fingertips caressing her cheek. "It's crazy. . .but I do love you," she admitted, only the slight hint of a tremble to her voice.

Her brown eyes turned serious as Buffy tried not to leap forward and hug her, heart pounding in her chest. It obviously wasn't simple; that much was a given. Buffy had Satsu, and with Faith she had a whole lot of history that lurked around every dark corner.

Buffy held her breath as Faith leaned forward slowly, lips touching lips in a slow kiss that was more sensual than Buffy thought she could deal with. Her legs were quickly turning to jelly, and she leaned into Faith to steady herself, cheek tingling at her touch until Faith pulled back.

"I can't stay," Faith continued, gazing into Buffy's eyes. "Got too many things to do. On the trail of a slayer I can't. . ."

"I understand," Buffy interrupted.

She did understand. Faith couldn't just drop everything because of a few words. They couldn't do a complete turn around; that was unrealistic.

"Then we're cool?" Faith asked, sounding a little unsure.

"We're cool if now and again. . .you come back," Buffy stated. There was no way she wanted Faith out of her life now. She needed to be able to see her as often as she could. "I don't want that to be the last time," she clarified, glancing towards her bedroom as she rested her hands on Faith's hips.

Though she felt shy and unsure asking, Buffy had to. If it meant she got to have Faith again, her pride had to take a step down.

Faith grinned, her eyes growing darker. Her eyes drifting down the front of Buffy's robe, openly leering, hands pulling her even closer.

"Sounds good to me," Faith responded. "So. . .Satsu gets to do the girlfriend thing and I just get the perks?"

Buffy felt her cheeks redden at the very idea. It was terribly brazen and presumptuous. It was decadent and selfish. . .but she wanted them both.

"If that's what you want," Buffy replied, hoping it was what Faith wanted. She would have preferred more, but she'd take what she could get.

Taking a breath and blowing it out of her nostrils, Faith lifted a hand to the back of her neck, rubbing at it as her brow creased in concentration.

"How would your girl Satsu take to that?" Faith questioned.

Buffy couldn't put words into Satsu's mouth but after the night they'd shared she seriously doubted it would be a problem. She recalled the way Satsu had looked at Faith, had kissed her and touched her, and most importantly. . .involved her. Satsu would be happy that she had Buffy's love as well as most of her attention for the majority of the time. Even if it seemed like a ridiculous idea, Buffy thought it would work. They had something special – all three of them.

"She was the one who asked you to stay," Buffy reminded.

"Sounds too good to be true, B," Faith said with a slight sigh. "But I'm willing to try. . .as long as I get you to myself now and then."

Her eyes pierced Buffy's as she spoke, hands holding onto her and gentle smile speaking volumes. Buffy had to agree that she'd like some time with Faith alone – though she was also happily entertaining thoughts of more nights spent the way they just had.

"I'd like that," Buffy acknowledged, giving Faith a small squeeze.

Faith leaned down and brought them together once again; luxurious lips placing passionate promises on Buffy's mouth. Buffy opened to Faith, accepting her tongue as her own joined in the dance. The steady kiss became a little more frantic and needy, bodies pushing against each other in the small corridor as Faith's hands grabbed onto Buffy's backside. Buffy moaned into Faith's mouth, feeling her nipples tighten under the thin material of her robe.

She wanted to shirk it off; drop it to the floor so Faith's hands could explore. Her own hands were itching to do just that over Faith, not having had enough time to do so the night before. There was so much she wanted to do with Faith, to Faith. It made her skin ache and her clit tingle.

"I want you so much," Buffy breathed out as she skimmed her lips over Faith's in order to breathe.

Faith pressed harder against her with a husky groan. "I want you too," she drawled. "I wanna fuck you." She kissed Buffy forcibly, pushing her up against the wall behind her. "Want my fingers inside you."

Buffy let out a trembling moan and clung to Faith's shoulders as she rested her head back against the cooling stone of the wall. Her exposed neck gave Faith a new place to kiss and suck, and Buffy had no hope stopping the hand traveling up under her robe over her thigh. Her mind was a quivering mess of arousal, much like the rest of her, as Faith flicked her tongue over her skin and found the warm wetness of Buffy's pussy with her fingers.

"Here?" Buffy gasped, her voice pitching higher as Faith's fingers slipped over her.

"Shh," Faith soothed, kissing Buffy once again, open mouthed and breathless as she found the source of Buffy's now incredibly wet state. "You're so fuckin' wet, B," she purred, encouraging Buffy to raise her leg around her with her other hand.

All Buffy could do was grunt in approval as her leg hooked around Faith, allowing Faith's finger to slip into her. They both moaned, sighed, breathed hard and fast at the contact. Faith wasted no more time, sliding in and out of Buffy with succulent and sticky noises, adding another finger when Buffy pushed into her hand, hips rocking.

"Fuck," Buffy gasped, attempting to stay as quiet as she could. The last thing they needed was nosy slayers coming out of their rooms.

She threw her head back once again, moving against Faith as Faith's fingers plunged deep inside her. Her robe fell open to reveal the sight and Faith let out her own appreciative expletives. Buffy was already close. Already so turned on to Faith it would only take one more. . .

"Oh, Faith!" she panted into Faith's shoulder, dropping forward as a strong palm rubbed up against her clit, and fingers fucked her hard and fast. "Oh fuck, Faith!"

A fierce heat ripped through her stomach, down through her groin and out through her pussy, spilling into Faith's hand as she came. Head spinning and body shuddering as she gripped onto Faith, Buffy slumped against her in complete relief. She felt her walls clamp down on Faith's fingers, holding them inside. Holding them to ransom as she held onto Faith.

"You'd better come back to me," she said in a whisper into Faith's hair as she tried to catch her breath.

"That's the plan," Faith responded, kissing the side of Buffy's face. "We'll never be done with each other."

"Never," Buffy muttered in agreement.

As she pulled her face back to look at Faith, Faith slowly slid her fingers from inside her, causing both of them to smile – Faith's a triumphant grin, and Buffy's a coy and guilty smile of pleasure. They stood and looked into one another's eyes for a few long minutes, but Buffy knew Faith couldn't stay. Wouldn't stay.

"Until next time, lover," Faith said confidently.

She gave Buffy a long, deep kiss full of promise and then turned to depart, leaving Buffy in a somewhat disheveled state, robe haphazardly wrapped around her, hair mussed and body buzzing.

"Until then," Buffy said quietly to herself as she watched Faith disappear out of view.

Next time, she would remember that it's polite to give as well as take. Next time, it was Faith's turn to find herself dribbling down the inside of her own legs with a well fucked grin on her face.

"Definitely next time," Buffy mumbled as she walked back into her bedroom, practically stumbling towards the bed as she slid the robe from her body.

She got back in with a little less poise and grace than she'd left and Satsu yawned a sleepy mumble that Buffy didn't understand. It made her smile at her regardless, and she pulled the covers back over them both and tucked in close to Satsu.

"Morning," Buffy whispered into silky, dark hair, kissing Satsu at her temple.

Satsu hummed in approval and wrapped an arm over Buffy, holding her close.

"Did she go?" she asked.

"Yeah," Buffy replied, looking wistfully towards the door before shaking her head and burying her nose back into the alluring locks of brown.

"She'll be back?" Satsu questioned further.

She didn't want to sound like she was interrogating Buffy, she was just curious, and a little hopeful. She didn't want Faith to stay away, knowing that Buffy needed her in her life. A small – and somewhat growing – part of herself wanted Faith to be part of their life too. Somehow, it had just felt. . .right. They felt balanced; a steady equilibrium, a symmetry between them all.

"She'll be back," Buffy confirmed. "On and off."

Satsu didn't miss the slight sadness in her tone, but they both knew Faith wouldn't be the type to stay put for long. She'd come and go as she pleased. At least now Buffy had more than before from her. Now, the door was open, the walls down, the future less desolate.

Satsu would stay by Buffy's side and give her everything Faith couldn't, and Faith would give Buffy the thing that only Faith could. That something that Satsu didn't yet fully understand – that untouchable, unquenchable thirst both Buffy and Faith had for one another that had toyed with their emotions and played with their hearts.

Things would work out just fine. They'd all win in the end this time.

"Yunno, we're gonna need a bigger bed," Satsu commented, feeling Buffy chuckle beside her. "Unless. . .when she's here you want me to. . ."

Buffy stroked her fingers through Satsu's hair, pushing stray strands behind her ear.

"I want _you_ here," Buffy assured, emphasizing the word you. "I want you back with me full time, and sure. . .sometimes when she's here I might want a little alone time with her," she explained with a slight blush. "But last night was. . .it was. . .hot, sexy, special, perfect, and I'm more than willing to take that trip again. Unless you'd rather not, in which case. . ."

It was Satsu's turn to chuckle, her smile wide as she placed a kiss on the end of Buffy's nose.

"I'm happy with that," was Satsu's answer.

Buffy felt her heart melt for the girl in her arms. Satsu was everything she could ask for in a lover, a girlfriend, and she thanked her turn of luck for making her so stubborn. If she hadn't have been, Buffy might have lost her as well as Faith. Now she had them both.

Remembering something she'd looked up on the off chance one day whilst brushing up on Japanese battle commands, Buffy gazed into Satsu's pretty eyes and told her, "Aishiteru."

Satsu gave her a beaming smile and a look of surprise.

"I love you too, Buffy" she replied.

She leaned into Buffy and claimed her lips, feeling the smile passing between them as their bodies searched one another out under the light covers. It wasn't long, however, before a thunderous grumble interrupted them.

"Hungry?" Satsu asked Buffy, glancing down at the offending stomach as it rumbled for attention.

"Hell yes," Buffy answered with an enthusiastic nod.

They both laughed and fell under the spell of each other's love as they gazed into sparkling eyes.

"How about a. . .sandwich?" Satsu queried, her laugh turning into a giggle as Buffy gave her a look of fake shock.

She ducked out of the way of the pillow that swung towards her head, and fell onto her back with Buffy above her looking happier than she'd ever seen her. There was no room here for doubt or apprehension, or guilt. They loved. They loved as slayers - deep, strong, unconventionally and fully.

They were three, but they were one.

**The End**


End file.
